The Perfect Mistake
by EzriaLoverB26
Summary: What happens when Aria is six months pregnant and hasnt even told Ezra? What about when he comes knocking on her door out of the blue?
1. Chapter 1

**Okay, so this is my first official fanfiction! I am absolutely in LOVE with PLL, and most of all Ezria! 3 Since I've become pretty much obsessed with reading fanfics about this couple, I decided to make one! Hope you all enjoy, please rate and review :))**

Chapter One: The Bombshell

Aria looked at the calendar across her dimly lit room and sighed. It was practically screaming at her that it was September 1st, marking the one year anniversary since she met Ezra at Snooker's. She hadn't seen or heard from him much since he left six months ago to live with his parents in New York. No—that was a lie. He _had_ tried to stay in touch with her; it was _Aria_ that was pushing him away. He would hate her, no, despise her from keeping this from him. What was she supposed to do when everything around her had seemed to be falling apart? Ezra was leaving. Her parents didn't trust her. Mona was –A. Maya was dead. The one thing that had kept her sane was falling back on him, having him comfort her. He was the light through all the darkness in her life. But when she found out news she never would have thought to hear while she was still in high school, she couldn't ruin his life, more than she already had. He had given up everything for her. His job, his reputation, she was NOT going to take away his freedom. She wouldn't tie him down with the unborn baby in her growing stomach, which at this very moment was reminding her that in just three months, she would become a mother at seventeen.

The last time Aria has spoken to Ezra was four weeks after their dance at the masquerade ball, an hour before she found out about their baby. After that, Aria ignored his calls, deleted his texts, and tried everything to get him out of her mind. She already had enough to deal with, she couldn't break his heart. He needed to figure out what he wanted to do, and if he wanted to be with her. She had thought about calling him many times, just to see how he is doing. Would he have found a job? Gotten a new girlfriend? But she knew she wouldn't have gotten through an entire conversation without her breaking down completely. She ran her hand across her round stomach, lightly, tears flowing down her cheeks. She thought back to that awful Tuesday afternoon, when she had broken the hearts of the two most important people in her life: her parents.

_Aria paced up and down the hallway of her house. How could she do this? Telling her parents about her relationship with Ezra was one thing, but telling them he was going to be the father of her child? She wasn't prepared for this. Her heart was pounding against her chest, beads of sweat collection at the nape of her neck. She rubbed her fingers together, fidgeting, and finally took one deep breath and looked into the eyes of her parents, Byron and Ella. They kept a steady gaze back, wondering what could be going on with Aria. Bad grades? Drugs? Expulsion? If they only knew. Aria was thankful that Ezra was nowhere near Rosewood for this moment. She opened her mouth to speak, but instead a sob ripped at her throat. She looked away from her parents as fresh, salty tears began to form in her eyes. With all the crying she had done lately, how did she have any more? _

"_Aria, baby? What is it?" Ella asked sympathetically. She hated seeing her daughter like this. What could possibly be so wrong that would get her all worked up after everything she had already been through? _

"_M-mom, dad…" Aria was at a loss for words. She should just tell them. Quickly. Rip the bandage off. "I'm pregnant." She mumbled. The two words came out of her mouth so fast they formed one word. But it was evident on her parent's faces that they had understood what she said, and they were not very happy._


	2. Chapter 2

As soon as she had told her parents they locked her in her room, regardless that Ezra wasn't even in the same state and oblivious to the fact that she was pregnant. They hadn't called the cops though, since Aria hadn't been seeing him for a while before she told them and that they realized it would only cause more problems. For a while her parents acted like nothing was different, that Aria wasn't pregnant, and that it wasn't Ezra's. They had taken her out of Rosewood High and enrolled her in online courses. Her pregnancy wasn't mentioned much after Aria told them. Ella had picked up the prenatal vitamins and made sure that Aria was getting the nutrition she needed and going to all the doctor's appointments, but she was just too disappointed with her daughter to be supportive. The first time Ella had talked about the baby with Aria was when she had walked into her trying to fit into jeans.

_Aria was three months pregnant; obviously her clothes wouldn't fit her forever. She was standing in front of her mirror, her jeans on but unbuttoned. There was no way that she could get them all the way on over her growing belly. She hadn't really paid much attention to her stomach unless she was visiting the doctor. She lifted up her shirt and rubbed her hand in circles against the tiny bulge. With little surprise, more tears came cascading down her face. All of the sudden the door opened and Ella walked in. "Ar—oh, sorry." Ella walked up behind her daughter just as Aria yanked down her shirt. Her mother gave her a sympathetic smile and began to talk. "Listen, sweetie. I know that your father and I have been hard on you, but we need you to understand that we never saw ourselves being in this position. Our teenage daughter coming to us with her English teacher holding hands, and a few months later telling us she's pregnant. I know this isn't easy for you either, but…" Aria was surprised that a tear fell from Ella's face. She felt so guilty. How could she do this to her parents? To herself? To her baby? "What's done is done. And it looks like I'll need to take you shopping soon." And with that, Ella had left Aria in her bedroom, stunned._

The only people that knew about her baby other than her parents and Mike were her friends, Hanna, Spencer and Emily. They were obviously very surprised, but very supportive. They were all so excited to be Aunts, and made sure that Aria felt her best each day. Regardless, there was nothing and no one that could make her feel better today. She just wanted to lie around in her room and have no one bother her. Whoever was at the door had other plans though, because they was a light rapping downstairs. Since no one else was home, Aria needed to answer it.

She walked down the stairs, and soon as she opened the door she wished she had looked out the window first. There, right in front of her was Ezra. Her adorable, dorky, blue eyed Ezra. The one whose smile made her melt and voice made her want to listen to it all day. But his eyes were not focusing on her face. His mouth was wide open, no hint of a smile. And he was most definitely not saying a word. He was too busy staring at Aria's very round, very pregnant, body.

**AHHHH! Let me know if these chapters are too short, I don't know how long to make them…but there are plenty more to come! ****J Rate and Review!**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

As soon as she saw that it was him, Aria slightly shifted, positioning herself behind the door, only her head visible for Ezra's view. Ezra had no choice but to look up at her, and she soon saw the emotions evident on his face. There were hints of confusion, fear, and a little anger, but there was a stronger one that sent daggers through Aria's heart. Hurt. He was hurt, and it was her fault. This is _exactly_ what she wanted to avoid. She hadn't even thought about what she would do if Ezra had found out before she told him because, well, she just didn't _expect_ it. The last time he had been to her house wasn't exactly the happiest of moments. Mike had hit him and Byron and Ella tried putting a stop to their relationship. Why would he want to come back? And if he did, why would he just show up at her house when her parents might be home?

Aria noticed that they had been standing there for five minutes, saying nothing, a million thoughts racing though their heads. Because Ezra looked as if he were about to vomit, she decided that she would be the first to speak. But what would she say? 'Sorry for cutting you off completely, but it was only because I'm pregnant and it's your baby?' No. What should she say? What could she say? It suddenly felt as though she was relying on an oxygen tank and someone had pulled the rip cord.

"Ezra," Aria muttered, embarrassed that her voice was shaking. "I wasn't expecting you…" Her voice trailed off, giving Ezra the cue to say something, anything.

"Maybe... maybe I should go…"

Aria's heart sank. Of course he didn't want to see her or talk to her. It would only ruin his life and put yet another strain on his career. Or…maybe he didn't love her anymore. But that couldn't be it; he came all the way here for some reason. That reason must've been her.

"Look, I'm sorry. I just need time to think...," He was about to turn around and walk back to his car when he added, "Come by later. I'm staying at Hardy's and he'll be out late." He scribbled an address on a small piece of paper he took out of his pocket and handed it to her.

Without any other words, he was gone, driving down her road. Aria stood there paralyzed. She let out the breath she didn't know she was holding in when she could no longer see him. Silently closing the door, her hands automatically took out her cell phone.

Hanna, Spencer, and Emily all looked expectantly at Aria. They had no idea what was going on, and since they got to her house, Aria hadn't said a word. She had hardly looked at her friends.

"Aria, what's going on?" Hanna asked, who was waiting impatiently on her bed playing with a strand of her straightened blond hair.

"Earlier today, right after my parents left with Mike, Ezra showed up." Her friends all gaped at her.

"Wait—I thought he was in New York." Emily spoke up, still not believing what Aria had just told her.

"Me, too. I never thought that he would come all the way here after being away for so lon—" She stopped herself, realization kicking in. He didn't just come here randomly. He came here very much on purpose. "It's been one year."

"Since Ali's disappearance? Why would he come all the way down here because of Alison?" Hanna asked, not getting it.

"No, not one year since Alison, one year since I met Ezra." How could she have forgotten so quickly? She had just been thinking about it, right before she was interrupted.

"I thought you said that you two met on Labor Day?" Spencer asked Aria.

"Around Labor Day. Anyways he must've come down here to celebrate or whatever and instead he found out that he's going to be a father."

"What did he do? I can't imagine him just leaving you here without letting you give an explanation." Emily gave Aria a sympathetic look and began to pace back in forth.

"He got kind of freaked out. He told me to come by where he's staying later." She looked around at her friends, wondering what their reactions would be.

"That's good. At least he wants to talk to you, maybe understand the situation a little better. Like, what you have planned." Spencer pointed out, trying to make Aria a little less antsy about meeting up with him.

"I don't _have_ anything planned! I don't know if I should do adoption or keep my baby. I'm in high school and I'm talking to Ezra about it for the first time since I found out. I don't even know if it's a girl or a boy yet, guys. I have no answers for him. What if tonight goes completely wrong? What if he doesn't want to help or he doesn't want to understand? What if he's just doing this because he thinks he needs to? I don't want him to feel like I'm trapping him! This is _exactly _why I didn't tell him, I'm so stupi—"

"Aria! He loves you; there is no way he _won't_ be there for you. And when he tells you that, and I bet you he will, you can go over what to do. What the best option is. You aren't in this alone, and you shouldn't have to be. You two have been through so much together. Noel, Jackie, your parents—"

"My parents are still a problem, Spence. When they find out that he's back and he knows…what will they do?" Aria almost whispered. "Even though I'm going to be a mom and everything, I won't legally be an adult until one month after I give birth. They can keep me away from him."

"Maybe you should just talk to your parents. Tell the truth." Emily got up, looking out the window. "Your mom is here, Han. Good luck, Aria." She went over and hugged her quickly.

"Yeah, I need to get going, too. Call me later." Spencer grabbed her car keys and jacket.

When all of her friends had left, Aria decided it was time to get ready to meet Ezra.

**A/N Yay! I hope you all like this as much as I do. :) I made sure to make it longer this time (i made sure it was over 1,000 words!:)), although it always looks shorter when I post it on here than it does on Word, anyways I will update as soon as possible. Also, give me some gender and name ideas for the baby!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N Okay, just to clarify, if it is only one word that is in italics, its being emphasized, and if it's paragraphs, it's a flashback. Hope you enjoy this chapter! :D**

Chapter 4

Her parents still weren't home, so Aria decided to write a note and leave it on the kitchen counter.

Going out. I'll be back before ten.

-Aria

She had taken the past thirty five minutes trying to find something to wear. She was huge compared to her petite frame, there was no way she could hide her stomach no matter how baggy the shirts she wore were. Since it was September, and fairly cool at night, Aria went into her parents' room and stole one of Byron's sweatshirts. It didn't help completely, but made her feel far less self-conscious. She didn't want Ezra staring at her stomach all night.

The whole drive to Hardy's all Aria could think about was the worst. At this point, Ezra could basically say anything and it would be better than what she had come up with in her head. She parked in front of the house, and sure enough, only Ezra's car was in the driveway. Aria took an unsteady breath, and before chickening out completely, got out of her car and walked up the front steps. She knocked twice, feeling exactly the same way she did when she had told her parents. As soon as she heard the footsteps, Aria wanted to be anywhere but there. She looked down at her shoes as the door opened and Ezra stepped aside to let her in.

She sat down on the couch as he took the chair opposite her. To avoid another awkward silence, Ezra decided to be the first to speak this time.

"I'm sorry about earlier, I just didn't expect…" He was lost in thought, trying to come up with the right words. "I feel so guilty right now. You shouldn't be in this position, not while in high school. It's all my fault and I—" He stopped talking suddenly, catching a glimpse of a tear descending down her cheek. She finally met his gaze, and all he could see was shame and sadness. "Aria, I didn't mean to…"

"I kept this huge secret from you and _you're_ the one that's sorry. Why? Why aren't you mad at me?" Her vision blurred as more tears brimmed over her eyes. Ezra looked at her for a few moments before getting up and sitting right in front of her. He put his hand on hers, the first physical contact they've had in months, and spoke to Aria with such love, such devotion, and it almost seemed too perfect to be real.

"I know the rational thing is to be mad, and not want to be a part of your life, of this life. But it would only make me completely miserable afterwards. When I left, and you stopped talking to me, I thought it was because you found someone else, when in reality you were scared, and doing what you thought was best. I want to be a part of your life, and I want to be there for you, for our baby. I've never been happier than when I am with you. I love you so much, and I know that we can make this work."

Aria was unable to say anything, literally stunned by his little speech. Their faces were inches apart, all Aria could think about was how close they were. Ezra smiled coyly before closing the gap completely. As soon as their lips touched, all the confusion, fear, and shame washed away. Aria felt better than she had in a long time, and she knew that this was the way it was supposed to be. A moment later, he pulled away, only to place his right hand over her stomach.

...

They had spent almost all night catching up. Ezra had found a job right outside of Rosewood teaching sophomores, and Aria talked about her schoolwork and plans for college. They were curled up together on the couch, an old movie playing. They had ordered Chinese food earlier and had already eaten everything. She had an hour left before she needed to be home, and she still didn't know what she was going to tell her family about Ezra.

"How did your parents react about…this?" He asked Aria. He knew that they didn't approve of the relationship to begin with, and was nervous to find out the answer. At least they hadn't kicked her out and were still supporting her.

"They freaked out. Grounded me. The worst part was walking around the house and getting disappointed glances from them. They told Mike, I didn't want to. He acts like I'm an alien. I wish he would see that I'm still the same person, just…about to have a baby." Aria's eyes were full of sadness. He hated to see her like this.

"What about your friends?" He asked softly. Ezra was afraid that she would tell him they turned their backs on her, wanted nothing to do with the situation. In fact, that's what Aria was afraid of once, too.

_She knew she needed to tell them sometime. She couldn't keep it a secret forever. Aria wanted to for as long as her body let her, she wasn't ready to let them go just yet. She would tell them when she was ready…_

_"Okay, Aria and Hanna, would you mind picking out a movie?" Spencer called from the kitchen, where she was with Emily paying the pizza guy. Up in Spencer's room, Aria and Hanna moved to the shelf of movies and began to choose their favorites. Aria accidently grabbed another movie with the one in her hand. Juno. As soon as she read the title she threw the DVD back onto the shelf._

_"Not a good movie?" Hanna laughed as Aria stood up. Spencer and Emily both walked in with a pizza box and waters. They gathered around on Spencer's bed as Emily opened the box of pizza. The smell of cheese, pepperoni, and grease didn't agree with Aria. She was soon running to the bathroom, her hand clamped over her mouth. She was throwing up, but was able to hear her friends' footsteps through the roaring in her ears. When she was done she wiped her mouth and flushed the toilet. Then sat back against the wall, and took a deep breath. _

_In her hurry to make it to the toilet, Aria hadn't closed the door. Which means her friends saw her get sick all of the sudden, and were staring at her with confused expressions in the doorway. She got up and walked past them, going back into Spencer's room. _

_"Do you have, like, the flu or something? Because last time I checked you liked pizza." Hanna asked Aria, sitting as far away as possible from her. If Aria wasn't so nervous, she would've rolled her eyes. _

_"I'm fine. You guys eat." She walked over to Spencer's desk and sat down. Her friends just kept staring her down. She gave them a reassuring smile before she said, "Seriously, I'm just not hungry."_

_"Aria, that wasn't 'not hungry', that was 'I don't feel so good all the sudden, let me get everything out of my system and then I'll pretend I'm fine even though I'm not'." Spencer retorted before adding with a softer tone of voice, "You can tell us anything. We've never judged you before."_

_Aria knew she wasn't getting off the hook anytime soon. "I've never been pregnant before." She kept her eyes down, not wanting to look at their faces. It seemed like the silence would never end before all three of her friends began to talk._

_"Oh, Aria..."_

_"Why didn't you just tell us?"_

_"It's going to be okay."_

_"Did you tell Ezra yet? It _is_ Ezra's, right?"_

_"Whatever happens, we're here for you, right guys?"_

_"Of course."_

_"Absolutely."_

Aria looked at Ezra. "They took it pretty well. They were the first people that knew." She expected to see hurt in his face or something that would make her feel guilty all over again, but he looked back at her, his gaze full of adoration and passion. She laughed another thing she hadn't done in a while. "This has been the most stressful year of my life. But it's also been the best."

Ezra chuckled, pulling Aria closer to him. "Happy Anniversary."

Aria was about to say it back, but before she had the chance, his lips were suddenly on hers and when they stopped to catch a breath, all she murmured was a simple "I love you."

**A/N Woohoooo. So I hoped you guys liked this chapter. I just had to include her friends finding out and their reactions for you. I'll be working on the next chapter tonight and might possibly update it, and if not it will be up tomorrow. This is so much fun :D Annnnddd, I like all of your ideas for the names. I'm still deciding on the gender. And if it should be a surprise or if they find out at an appointment. Rate and Review!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Okay, so I know that I promised this for Saturday, but I was without Internet until earlier this afternoon :/ But here it is, better late than never. Anyways I'm thinking of names for the baby. I already know what I want the gender to be, but I want to keep it a surprise for all of you :p So here are my top two names for each gender Girl: Elizabeth and Gabriella Boy: Noah and William. Which ever is the most liked, will be the first name and then the second will be the middle. Enjoy and Review! :))**

Chapter 5

Aria couldn't help smiling as she walked through her front door. Tonight was perfect. The house was quieter than usual, and she was enjoying the peace. Her mom was asleep on the couch, essays littered all around her. Byron was probably writing his next lecture in her parents' room, while Mike was in his room listening to music. She walked quietly, trying not to wake her mother. Unfortunately Ella is a light sleeper, and as soon as the first step creaked, she was up.

"Hey sweetie." Ella yawned involuntarily. She pushed the papers she were grading off of her lap and went into the kitchen.

"Hi, Mom." She was hoping to get away without an explanation, maybe to go relax or call her friends. No such luck.

"Where did you go tonight?" Her mom was pouring a cup of coffee. Aria raised her eyebrows questioningly at her. "I can barely keep my eyes open and I still have half the class to grade. Sit; tell me about your night."

"Mom, I thought you needed to correct papers." Aria stated with an annoyed tone. Ella shrugged. The first day of school was tomorrow, and her mother was correcting student's summer work _now._

"We haven't been spending much time lately. A few minutes won't hurt." Yes they will, Aria thought. She needed to make something up, or give a very vague description of where she was really fast.

"I was with a guy." Aria simply stated, pouring milk into a glass. Her mother looked disapprovingly at her daughter.

"Now? You're about to have a baby, I think you should just focus on that right now."

"It's not like I'm seeing boy after boy after boy. I'm not like that."

"What about when this boy finds out the father of the baby finds out who the father is? Do you honestly think he'll understand?"

"He knows everything already. It's my life! I can do what I want." Aria said harshly, walking up the stairs and into her room.

The whole night, Aria kept thinking about what to tell her parents. She could barely sleep, and all she could think about was if he left again. She wanted him to stay in her life, which meant that she needs to tell her mom and dad that he's back and knows about the baby soon. Right before she drifted off to sleep at three in the morning, Aria decided she would talk to Ezra and tell them within the next two days. The sooner the better.

* * *

><p>Aria woke up to a bright light casting shadows through her blinds. She could hear Mike in his room, which meant that is was before seven. There was no use to trying to get more sleep. She had a horrible headache, her stomach was queasy, and her back killed. To top it all off, the baby wouldn't stop moving all night, waking Aria up multiple times. She stumbled out of bed, walking into the bathroom. After brushing her teeth and hair, she walked downstairs, stopping right before the kitchen. She heard harsh whispering coming from the table.<p>

"Are you sure it was him? He's been gone since March." Byron asked. Aria heard the clanging of dishes and then her mom answer.

"I know, but I'm absolutely sure it was him." She heard Ella let out a sigh and then sadly add, "I hope Aria doesn't know that—"

As soon as she heard her name, Aria walked into the kitchen, her parents stopping their conversation. Byron was sitting at the table reading the paper and drinking a glass of orange juice. Ella was at the stove frying up some bacon and eggs.

"Why are you up so early, Aria?" Ella asked innocently, thinking that Aria hadn't heard the last part of their conversation.

"Couldn't sleep. What were you guys talking about?" Aria sat down across from her father. He put the newspaper down and looked over at Ella. She finished cooking and turned towards Aria.

"I was just telling your father how I saw someone this morning when I went to go get coffee." If Aria wasn't still half asleep and miserable, she would have put together what Ella was trying to say, but instead was still lost.

"Who?" She munched on a small piece of bacon. Byron looked down at his hands while Ella walked over to the table. She put her hand on Aria's.

"Ezra." Aria practically choked as she heard her mom mutter his name.

"Wh-what? You saw Ezra?" This could not be happening. Her parents knew that he was back in town, which made her feel even worse about lying to them. Ella and Byron exchanged a nervous glance before her mother spoke.

"We weren't going to tell you, but I thought you should know that he's back in town. I'll make sure that he doesn't find out about the, you know, baby."

Aria sat there, not knowing what to say. She realized that if she waited too long to say anything, she might look suspicious. Hoping that her parents took it as her being scared that he was back, she just got up and went back up to her room. She sat on her bed for ten minutes, thinking of something to do. She couldn't call her friends because they would be going to school soon. Ezra was working, and her parents were right downstairs.

Her room was still basically the same. The only thing that changed was a few bags of baby things. She had only bought some things such as bottles, pacifiers, and blankets. She hadn't scheduled a baby shower because she didn't know if she was going to keep the baby. Since Ezra was back in the picture, sort of, she's leaning away from adoption. If he helped her, maybe this _could _work.

She didn't know the sex of the baby either, and was hoping to keep it a surprise. Her parents had done that with both her and Mike, and decided that it would be fun. Aria had thought about a few names for each gender, but ended up either not like them with her last name or finding a new one.

Her mother yelled a goodbye as she left with Mike, off to the first day of school, Byron following shortly after. Now Aria had to do her own schoolwork, and think of how to tell her parents about Ezra wanting to be a part of her life.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N Hope you all enjoy this chapter. My favorite so far. :) **

Aria was standing in front of her parents, in the exact same spot where she told them and her and Ezra, and her pregnancy. She was fidgeting with her cell phone, staring at Ella and Byron's puzzled expressions. It was later that day, and Aria had called her parents into the living room right when they returned home from work. Her cell phone lit up, she looked at it, and placed it on the brown coffee table.

"Aria, what's going on?" Ella asked her daughter as she leaned back against the couch.

There was no hesitation when she said, "This is about Ezra and I," She saw her mother's eyes widen, opening her mouth to say something. Aria immediately cut her off, "This baby isn't just mine. He or she is his, too." Aria folded her hands on her stomach, looking down. "I kept it from him because I thought that it was the right thing to do. But it wasn't, and I realized that when he showed up yesterday. I want him in mine and this baby's life, and no matter what you say, I'm not going to lose him again."

Aria looked up at the door and gave an encouraging smile. Ezra walked in slowly, nervous of what was about to happen. He looked at the floor, and Aria took his hand in hers and gave it a small squeeze.

They both looked at her parents. Ella was sitting there, in a slight shock, not exactly knowing what to do. Byron, on the other hand, was obviously furious. His hands were balled up into fists, his knuckled turning white. His jaw was clenched, and his face was serious. A thoughtful look swept across his face, giving Aria hope. It was immediately tore down and replaced with hollowness as her dad walked across the room before saying, "Aria, you're tearing this family apart."

"How can you be so quick to say that when you—" She saw her mother tense, Meredith was still a touchy subject, especially for her. "You'd rather me do this all by myself and be miserable? Or be happy with the man I love and our child?"

"Fine. Do what you want. This was all _his_ fault and he should have to deal with the repercussions of that mistake." He spit the last word as if it were dirty, and motioned towards her stomach. He stormed out of the room, Ella close behind him. Aria stood there, motionless, as the words her dad had just said sunk in. Mistake. He thought her baby was a _mistake_. She had thought of the pregnancy as a surprise, an accident. But _not_ a mistake. Tears began to fall uncontrollably as she let go of Ezra's hand and ran out the door. She stopped when she got to Ezra's car, only to fall to the ground in hysterics.

She hadn't even heard him follow her, but all of a sudden Ezra was sitting on the ground next to her, enveloping her into a hug. He tried to calm her down, to stop her shaking, but the endless sobs continued. She buried her face in his shoulder, wetting his shirt with her tears.

"Why would he say that?" His heart broke at the sound of her voice. She sounded so crushed, shattered. How could her dad do that to her?

"I don't know. But don't listen to him. This baby isn't a mistake, or a curse, or something we have to _deal_ with. He or she will be a blessing, no matter what anyone else thinks." When he was done talking, Aria's crying had turned into whimpers and then little sniffles. She brought her red, tear streaked face out from Ezra's shoulder and gave him a small smile.

"I love you so much." She leaned over and gave him a little kiss, before leaning away and sighing. He reached over and wiped away the last few tears that were remaining on her cheeks. He stood up, holding his hand out to her. She took it and stood up. He opened the passenger door of his car for her, knowing that she wouldn't want to go back in her house for a while. She went in without hesitation, silently thanking him. He closed her door and made his way to the driver's seat. He started to drive, and after a while Aria noticed that they were going the opposite direction of Hardy's apartment.

"Where are we going?"

"My place." He said with a smirk.

"Where?" She asked, excited that they wouldn't have to worry about Hardy, his friends, or his girlfriend.

"Chester. It's right outside of Philly."

They spent the next twenty minutes driving silently, enjoying the presence of each other. Ezra had one hand on the wheel, the other holding Aria's hand. She shut her eyes, clearing her mind from everything that just happened. The next thing she knew Ezra's arms were underneath her and she was being carried to his bed.

"I fell asleep in the car?" Aria asked, confused. Ezra laughed at her dazed expression.

"Go back to sleep, Aria." He leaned down and kissed her forehead before he placed her down. It didn't take her very long before she fell back asleep.

* * *

><p>Aria woke up to the smell of garlic, cheese, and spices. She turned over and saw Ezra at the stove in the midst of pots, pans, and cook books. She giggled to herself; this was the first time she had ever seen him cook. Usually they had takeout, unless she had decided to cook for them. She got out from under the covers, walking over to him. It smelled delicious, and she couldn't wait to eat it. He looked over at her, embarrassed that she was watching him. She leaned against the wall.<p>

"You're cute when you cook." She laughed as he rubbed the back of his neck and looked down. "What are you making?"

"Well, I'm _trying_ to recreate the dinner we had that day we went to the museum."

Aria's grin got wider and she walked over to him, putting her arms around his neck. "I'm sure this garlic parmesan linguini will be way better."

She felt him sigh with relief. She looked at him questioningly. "I was nervous that the smell would make you sick."

She laughed. "The only things that make me sick are greasy, fried foods, eggs, and steamed broccoli. In the first trimester the only thing that _didn't _make me sick was cereal and pasta."

Ezra raised his eyebrows, before chuckling and continuing with his cooking.

* * *

><p>Aria had made her way to the kitchen table, and finally the food was ready. He brought out two big, heaping plated of their dinner. He put hers in front of her, and he sat down opposite her. She eyed the food suspiciously.<p>

"Are you _trying_ to make me fatter than I already am?" She jokingly accused, narrowing her eyes.

"You aren't fat Aria. You're round."

She rolled her eyes. Like that was much better.

"It's cute." He added, making sure he didn't really hurt her feelings.

Her phone buzzed and she looked down at it.

"One of your friends?" Ezra questioned, nodding to the phone.

"Nope, just a reminder." She replied, putting her phone down. "I have an appointment tomorrow morning." She began to eat, and being pregnant, her taste buds intensified the flavor. "This is so good, Ezra."

He smiled back at her. "Aria? Could I…could I come with you tomorrow?"

"You really want to?" He nodded. "Of course you can, Ezra! Nothing would make me happier."

They spent the next few hours watching old movies, talking, and kissing. It felt like old times. They were on the couch; Aria snuggled into Ezra's chest, his head resting against the back of the sofa. The television was on, but they weren't really paying attention to it. She was about to doze off again when she the movement in her stomach surprised her. She opened her eyes and placed her hand where the baby had kicked. She traced circles over her shirt, waiting for him or her to kick again. Ezra watched her face light up, and a small smile formed on his face. She looked up at him.

"Ezra, give me your hand." He looked at her with a confused expression before he put his hand in hers. She placed it where hers had been just seconds before. At first he felt nothing, and then all of a sudden a small nudge hit his hand. His mouth dropped, it was the first time he had felt their baby. In a few seconds he was filled with such love and happiness that he couldn't help the goofy grin on his face.

He kissed Aria with such passion that she practically forgot how to breathe. He pulled away and she was gasping for air. He moved his hand from her belly, stroking her cheek. He leaned in again, this time for a sweet, chaste kiss.

"Will you stay the night?"

Aria nodded. She was tired, and by the looks of it so was Ezra. She got dressed in one of Ezra's oversized T-shirts and sweatpants. They made their way to his bed, cuddling up under the covers. She fell asleep to the sound of his steady breathing.

**A/N – I really liked this chapter, and I hope you did, too. So far if it's a girl, the name will be Gabriella, and if it's a boy, the name will be Noah. I already know the gender and I don't think it will be a disappointment. :) The next chapter will include the appointment and much, much more. It will probably be up tomorrow or the day after, and I think I might start it tonight. Please, please review, and tell me how you liked the chapter! I think this is my favorite so far. I'm going to stop rambling now. :))**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7 :))))

Aria woke up to the bright sunlight dancing around the room. She was still in Ezra's arms, the warmth radiating off of his body. She heard a chuckle, and lifted her chin up to look at him. She loved it when she heard him laughing in his sleep. He hated this little quirk, but it made Aria love him even more. She wanted to stay like this forever, happy in Ezra's embrace.

She looked out the window and watched the soft, white fluffy clouds pass by. She was about to drift back to sleep when she realized it must be almost late morning. She looked at the clock and noticed that it was almost quarter past nine. Her appointment was in less than an hour. She needed to wake up Ezra if he wanted to come with her.

She smiled to herself. This was really happening, the love of her life staying by her side no matter what. She propped herself up on her elbows and brought her lips to his. It didn't take very long for him to kiss back. His tongue grazed her bottom lip, but before he could deepen the kiss, she pulled away. He groaned as she smiled at his disappointed face.

"Come on, sleepyhead. We need to get going soon." She hopped out of the covers just as she felt sick. She put a hand over her mouth as she ran to the bathroom, crouching over the toilet. Ezra was right behind her, holding her hair and rubbing her back. The nausea passed as quickly as it had come and she rested her head against Ezra's shoulder. He grabbed a paper towel and wiped her mouth.

"Are you okay?" Ezra asked Aria.

"Yeah. I thought morning sickness was supposed to end after the first trimester." She complained, getting up to brush her teeth. "It's easier when you're here to help me." She smiled sincerely down at him.

"Anytime." He stood up and kissed the back of her head, brushing his lips against her hair on the way out to the kitchen.

After getting ready for the day by brushing her hair, putting on makeup and slipping into one of Ezra's shirts with her jeans from yesterday, Aria went into the kitchen to join him. Ezra sat at the table, mug in hand, reading the newspaper.

"You know, it isn't very nice to rub it in my face that I can't have coffee." Aria pouted, walking over to the fridge to pour herself a glass of orange juice.

"Payback for teasing me earlier." She stuck her tongue out at him, walking to the table. "Are you still thinking about…adoption?" He asked, sounding a little disappointed.

"I was, when I thought I was going to do it all by myself. I don't think I could have actually gone through with it in the end though. I want to keep our baby."

Ezra smiled a huge grin, before realizing that he had turned Aria into a teen mom, and she would be giving up so much for him and their baby.

"I'm sorry." He murmured a moment later, looking at Aria across the table.

"For what?" She asked curiously, drawing smiley faces in the condensation on the outside of her glass.

"Putting you in this situation."

Aria looked at him, stunned.

"Ezra, this isn't all your fault." She said softly. "That night…I wanted it just as much as you did. I wouldn't take it back." She touched his cheek, looking into his deep blue eyes.

"Neither would I."

She could still sense some kind of guilt in his face, but let it go.

"How about some pancakes?" Ezra asked, taking out a pan.

* * *

><p>They arrived at the doctor's office, walking into the waiting room hand in hand. They sat down in the cushioned chairs, waiting for her name to be called. Aria hated staying in the waiting room, she was always the youngest and she could feel the other pregnant women's judgmental eyes on her. The room had about twenty or so chairs in rows, each row ended with a coffee table that had stacks of magazines about pregnancies and babies. There were three other women, one that looked about as far along as Aria, one that looked hardly pregnant at all, and one that looked like she was about to go into labor right then and there.<p>

They didn't wait very long before the nurse came out and yelled Aria's name. She led them down the bright hallways into her usual room. Ezra looked around, taking it all in. The room was painted a light green, with multiple pictures of pregnant women, babies, and the stages of pregnancy hanging all around. Aria sat down on the bed, her feet barely touching the floor. There was a doctor waiting in the room for them, filling out some kind of paperwork.

The doctor turned to Ezra, offering him her hand.

"Hello, I'm Doctor Elizabeth Shannon." He smiled at the woman; she couldn't be more than late twenties. She had a kind look about her.

"Ezra Fitz."

They shook hands as Aria looked up at Doctor Shannon. "He's my boyfriend and the father."

"It's nice to finally meet you. I'm presuming this is your first time seeing the baby?"

He nodded in reply right before Aria said, "I wanted him to see him or her in person before I show him the ultrasound photos."

Doctor Shannon smiled. "So before we begin the ultrasound I need to ask the routine questions," Aria nodded. "Have you experienced any cramping or spotting?

"Nope."

"Back pains or headaches?"

"Not really."

"Have you been having any kind of sickness? Related to smells, tastes…"

"Same as before, and I still have morning sickness occasionally."

"That's normal with some pregnancies. It should pass before the third trimester, but it's okay if you have morning sickness throughout the whole pregnancy." Aria frowned. Throwing up throughout her _whole_ pregnancy? "Does he or she kick a lot?"

"Constantly. The baby is up almost all night it seems." Aria laughed and patted her stomach.

"That won't change until _after_ the little one is born." Doctor Shannon laughed along with Aria.

A knock interrupted their thoughts as a nurse's head popped in. "Sorry. Liz, there's a phone call for you on line two."

Doctor Shannon looked back at Aria and Ezra as she walked out the door. "I'll be right back."

Ezra looked at Aria to see that she was lost in thought. She caught Ezra staring at her and looked as if she were about to ask him something. She closed her mouth and continued thinking, looking down at her hands. Ezra raised his eyebrows at her. She looked back up.

"Ezra…I was wondering…" She started cautiously. "Can you be in the room with me when I'm giving…birth?"

Of course he wanted to watch his son or daughter is born. He wouldn't miss that for anything.

"Absolutely."

"Are you sure? I mean…I didn't know if you wanted to see me like…_that_."

"I could stay by your head if you want."

"It doesn't matter to me. The only thing I'm afraid of is you not looking at me the same after I give birth." She giggled, blushing.

"I don't think that will be a problem." He laughed. "I want to see the birth of my baby. I'll be there every step of the way. As long as you want me there."

"I'll always want you there." She said matter-of-factly.

The door opened and Doctor Shannon walked back in. She smiled at the couple and went over to the ultrasound equipment.

"Sorry. Aria, you can lay back now." Aria went back, pulling her shirt back to reveal her stomach. Ezra couldn't help but smile at how adorable Aria's bump was. "And you _don't _want to know the gender, right?"

Aria shook her head. "Nope. I want it to be a surprise."

Doctor Shannon squirted some of the blue gel on Aria's stomach before trying to get a clear view of the baby. Aria smiled at Ezra and picked up his hand, stroking her thumb across his knuckles. They both looked at the screen. There was a strange noise coming out of the speaker. He listened closely, the sound got louder as Doctor Shannon repositioned the transducer **(if you don't know what that is, it's basically the part that goes over the stomach, getting the picture)**. It took Ezra a minute to realize that it was a heartbeat. He was _listening_ to his baby's heartbeat. It was as if there was no one else in the room except for him, Aria, and their baby. He focused on the fast rhythm of the heart, imagining holding him or her for the first time. All the guilt was gone, replace by the overwhelming joy that he was going to become a father.

Once Doctor Shannon had got the picture she wanted up on the monitor, she began to point things out. The baby's head, arms, legs, back, hands, and feet. Ezra couldn't help but wonder how something could be so _tiny_. The baby's hand would hardly be able to grasp around his finger. He was lost in the thought of realizing that he had created life. He had created something so precious with Aria, the girl he loved. Ezra didn't even realize he was crying until he felt a tear slide down his cheek. Aria looked over at him. She squeezed his hand, smiling at his reaction. He was going to be a great father.

"So I take it adoption is out of the picture?" Doctor Shannon smiled at the emotional couple. Aria and Ezra both nodded their heads, smiling widely at each other.

"So it looks like the baby is measuring perfectly at twenty-four weeks. He or she should still be here around December sixteenth." She wiped the gel off of Aria's stomach with a towel and put her shirt back over the bump. "And if you're lucky, you won't get any stretch marks." Doctor Shannon winked. "Alright, you two are all set and I'll see you again in four weeks."

Aria and Ezra made their way back to his car, Aria admiring the profile photo they got of their baby.

Ezra looked at the clock. It was almost lunchtime, a perfect time for them to go out.

"Would you like to go eat somewhere?" He asked Aria, a hopeful expression across his face.

"Sure. Where would you like to go?" Aria asked, putting the picture in her bag.

"Anywhere."

* * *

><p>Aria and Ezra were now sitting lazily on his couch. She had her head resting on his lap while he was playing with her hair. They had just gotten back from a cute little diner that they had passed on their way home and were just relaxing. Aria's phone buzzed as she had an incoming call. It was her mom. She was nervous to answer the phone, too scared to find out what her parents had to say. Although she didn't necessarily want to talk to her family, she knew that she had to.<p>

She answered the phone. "Hi, Mom." Ezra looked down at her, his eyes widening.

_"Aria. You need to come home now."_

"I don't think I'm ready to yet. What Dad said…" Her eyes filled with sorrow at what her father had said the day before. _Mistake. _

"_He didn't mean it, Aria. He's just angry. He thought that—"_

"What? That Ezra was gone for good? That my baby would never have a father? Did he think that made me _happy_? He doesn't even realize how much I love him, Mom! Ezra was there for me, for everything! If he didn't care as much about me as I do about him, why would he be here? Dad thinks I'm a whore that got knocked up by her teacher, right? My baby, _mine and Ezra's_ _baby_, is here because of how we felt about each other. It was out of _love_, not lust. Our relationship is as real as it gets. We've gotten through every obstacle so far. What makes you think we can't get through this one?" Tears were streaming down her face. She could never just be happy for once.

"_Please, Aria. Come home. We can talk about this when you get here."_

Aria looked at Ezra. _You're always welcome here _he mouthed to her. "I'm staying at Ezra's again. You can have Dad call me if you want me to come home." She pressed END and took a deep breath, closing her eyes.

**A/N Chapter Seven = DONE. :D I know that I was supposed to upload this, like, two days ago, but that's because I didn't know this chapter was going to be this long. But I'm on vacation (Spring Break) all next week so I can work on more chapters! I worked really hard on this chapter, trying to fit a lot in and I hope it isn't too crowded. I tried to make it work. I thought it was so cute when he heard and saw their baby for the first time. Do you think that Byron will call? What if he doesn't? Poor Aria! :( Hope you enjoyed! Please _please_ review. If I get up to 65 reviews I'll update by Sunday or 70, tomorrow! :D **


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N OH MY GOSH. So it's been like… 3 weeks since my last update. Oops. I didn't really _mean_ for that to happen, I guess I was just busy. Buuuut here is Chapter 8, better late than never! It doesn't really have much to do with her pregnancy, or Ezria, but Ezra _is_ in this chapter. I'm kinda adding some more conflict to the story…I felt like I needed to add something more to make it more interesting. **

**I probably should have started saying this, like, eight chapters ago...but... I don't own Pretty Little Liars! **

Two days have passed since Aria's phone call from her mother, and her dad still hasn't called. She's been staying at Ezra's, and even though he says that he doesn't mind, she feels like she's been intruding. Her days consist of staying at his apartment all day and doing schoolwork on her laptop while he goes to work. Ezra seems to be enjoying his new job; he has a smile on his face every afternoon when he comes home.

Aria glances down at the clock in the corner of her computer screen. Four o'clock. Ezra should be home any minute. She finishes up her assignments for the day and closes her laptop. She wondered what would happen if her dad didn't call. She felt like she was asking too much of Ezra as it was, she didn't want to ask if she could move in with him. Knowing Ezra, even if she _didn't _ask, he would insist. That was just the kind of guy he was.

Aria's phone buzzed in her hand. Silently hoping that it was her father, she looked down. Her heart sank as her mother's number popped up on caller ID. She answered it, hoping that it was he mother telling her that Byron was at least coming around to the idea of her and Ezra together.

"Hello?" There was no answer on the other end, just what sounded like heavy breathing. "Mom?"

"Aria!" Ella's heartbroken plea finally came from the other side. Why did it sound like she was struggling with speaking?

"Mom? What's wrong?" This couldn't be about her not coming home, she wouldn't be _this_ upset. There was a muffled sound, almost as if her mom had whispered something, followed by uncontrollable crying. Something that sounded a lot like _Mike_.

Aria froze. "Mike?"

Aria could barely hear Ella's reply. _Unconscious. Found. Street. Under the influence. _

Aria felt like she was going to be sick. "Where are you?"

"Hospital."

Aria's throat caught, and she thought she was going to faint.

"Is he…going to be okay?" Aria asked, dreading the answer.

The lack of sound, other than sobbing, on the other end answered her question. Tears were already starting to overflow as she made her way to the door. All she could think about was the worst possible scenario. She couldn't lose Mike, not right now. Her breath caught as she bore the thought that he might not make it. She quickly shook the thought from her head, realizing that she didn't even know _exactly _what had happened. He could be fine. A part of her knew that probably wasn't true—her mom wouldn't have called her in hysterics if Mike were home with a few cuts and bruises.

She ran out of the building, as fast as she could, when Ezra parked. He immediately jumped out of his car, running to Aria's side.

"Aria?"

"Mike…hospital…" Aria said in between sobs. He led her back to his car, not letting her drive. By the time they reached the hospital she had calmed down enough so she wouldn't embarrass herself inside. She got out of the car quickly, Ezra taking her hand. They walked into the lobby, walking up to the front desk.

"Mike Montgomery." Aria said, trying to steady her breathing.

"Are you family?" The secretary asked in a monotonous voice.

"I'm his sister." Aria said impatiently. The woman looked down at her list.

"Room 105. Take a right, then a left."

Aria made her way through the too-bright hallways, her hand still linked with Ezra's, until she found the room Mike was in. Her mother was crying into Byron's chest, him holding her tightly. The door to Mike's room was closed, a whiteboard attached to it with _Montgomery_ written in chicken scratch.

"Mom?" Ella turned her head to face Aria. She had calmed down a bit since the conversation, enough to speak coherently.

"Sweetheart…" Her mom got up, giving Aria a big hug. Aria didn't want a hug, at least not right now. She wanted to know what happened to Mike.

"What's wrong with Mike?"

Ella pulled away, looking into Aria's eyes. "He was found by a cop around the corner from our house, passed out. He must've hit his head because when they found him, he was lying in…a puddle of blood. There seems to be a good amount of alcohol in his system, and he's still unconscious."

"How good?"

"A lot. They..." Ella seemed to be fighting back tears as she said these last few words. "The doctors…say he might not wake up due to the seriousness of the head trauma, and if he does…he won't remember _anything_."

Aria stood there, looking straight ahead. Fresh tears slid down her cheeks as she began to shake. Sobs ripped up her throat, her hands covering her mouth. Ella went back to Byron, not able to see Aria in such a state. Ezra locked his arms around Aria, bringing her over to the chairs next to her parents. He held her, just held her. Her crying lasted a while, it was long after Byron and Ella had fallen asleep that Aria was able to speak clearly. She looked up into Ezra's soft eyes.

"What if he doesn't make it?" Her voice was barely a whisper as she spoke the words that everyone was thinking.

Ezra moved aside a strand of hair that was covering her eyes. "Hey, don't think like that. We just need to hope for the best. Mike's strong, he can pull through." Her eyes still showed a sense of doubt. "Besides, he wouldn't leave without meeting his niece or nephew." Aria smiled, looking down at her stomach.

"You're right."

After another hour, Aria and Ezra finally fell asleep, praying that Mike would be okay.

* * *

><p>"Aria," Ezra tapped Aria's shoulder lightly, waking her up. It took her a minute to remember where they were and why. She opened her eyes, tensing that something could have happened to Mike when they were asleep. Noticing her response, Ezra quickly said, "He's fine. He hasn't woken up yet, but he seems to be doing better than yesterday. They let your parents in to see him."<p>

Aria relaxed. "How long have you been up?"

"Since ten."

With that, Aria checked her phone. It was already past twelve. She hadn't slept this late in while.

"They said you could go in and see him when your parents are done, if you want."

Aria let in a shaky breath. She wasn't sure how well she would be able to handle seeing Mike so…lifeless. "I'm not sure."

Ezra nodded. "I'll go get us something to eat."

Aria sat in her chair waiting. Her phone buzzed from inside her bag. Eleven new text messages. _Great._ Aria thought. She looked through them; they were all from Hanna, Emily, and Spencer asking her where she was. She quickly typed out a text message to all three of them saying she was in the hospital with her family and Ezra for Mike. She turned off her phone, not really wanting to answer their questions at the moment.

Ezra came back upstairs with two plates, both with a good amount of chicken ceasar salad. He handed Aria her food and they ate in silence. After they finished, Aria broke the silence.

"I want to see Mike, but will you come with me?" Aria asked hopefully. She was still scared to see her brother, but having Ezra there would make it a little easier to handle.

"Of course." Ezra smiled down at Aria.

A few moments late, Byron and Ella walked out of Mike's room. Byron _still_ wouldn't talk to Aria; he wouldn't even glance her way. They sat down in their spots from the previous night, sitting in complete silence.

Aria got up from her seat, threw her trash away and took Ezra's hand. He stood up with her, following her to Mike's door. She let out a shaky breath before entering.

It took all of Aria's strength not to break down again. Almost everything in the room was white: the walls, the floor, the furniture. Mike was in the bed against the far wall, lying on his back, his eyes closed. He had tubes everywhere; Aria couldn't even count them all. He was hooked up to a breathing machine, and the only sound in the room was the steady beat of his heart.

Ezra squeezed her hand, encouraging her to move forward. She sat down on the only chair next to Mike, putting his hand in hers. She looked at him for a while, until fresh tears began falling from her eyes. Aria sat there thinking.

_What if he never wakes up? What if he does and doesn't remember me? Or our parents? If he never wakes up… this could be the last time I get to hold Mike's hand. The last time I get to see his face full of color. The last time I hear him breathing, hear his heart beating. The last time his hand squeezes mine. _

Aria's eyes snapped open, looking down at Mike in disbelief. Had she just imagined it? She waited a few seconds, until finally, his finger moved in her hand. He opened his eyes and looked at Aria.

"Mike?"

**A/E DUN DUN DUN. Cliffhanger! I'm sorry, I had to do that. But, I promise I won't wait three weeks to update this time…haha. It will PROBABLY be up by like… Tuesday or Thursday. If I have nothing to do…maybe Sunday or Monday. Depends on what I'm doing the rest of this week and next. I really hope you enjoyed this chapter. PLEASE REVIEW! It will make me update faster! :) **


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N Okay, so first off I would just like to say: I'M SO SORRY for the longish wait. I know, I know, everyone reading this is probably thinking: She promised last week. I did. So, I decided that I won't _promise_ you anything until the middle of June. I'm still going to be posting often, I'm just not sure _when._ I'm out for summer vacation around June 19th, and have finals the week before then. Anywayssss, please don't be annoyed with me. (I need to manage my time more efficiently, I'm only in high school) So, here is the next chapter, hope you all enjoy!**

_Aria's eyes snapped open, looking down at Mike in disbelief. Had she just imagined it? She waited a few seconds, until finally, his finger moved in her hand. He opened his eyes and looked at Aria._

_"Mike?" _

* * *

><p>Aria stopped breathing; all she did was stare in disbelief at Mike. He looked up at Aria, his blue eyes clouded with confusion. Aria waited for Mike to say something, anything, to give her a better understanding of what was going through his head. It felt like forever until Mike finally talked, and Aria was becoming edgy. She started shaking her leg lightly enough for him not to notice, but Ezra did. He touched her shoulder and waited until she looked at him. His eyes were telling her to be patient. She sighed and looked back at Mike, who decided he should speak.<p>

"Hi."

If it weren't under these circumstances, Aria most definitely would have hit him. Who says "Hi" after what happened last night? She took a deep breath and waited for him to say something else.

"Who are you?" Mike asked, his face serious and thick with confusion, messing with Aria. He remembered everything _perfectly_, kind of wishing he hadn't.

Aria's heart sunk and she quickly felt tears forming in her eyes. After realizing he had made her cry, he quickly dropped his façade. His face had guilt written all over it.

"Aria! I'm just kidding. I, um, just…" Mike had rarely seen Aria cry, and the few times she had quickly composed herself without the need to be comforted. Looking at her face, Mike could feel that his little "joke" had upset Aria way more than he had meant it to. His eyes wandered around the room, avoiding his sister's icy glare.

"That wasn't funny." Aria stated, although her voice didn't sound as strict as it was supposed to, due to the fact that relief had quickly flooded her body.

"Sorry." He smiled hopefully, looking back at Aria.

She returned the smile, flicking his arm. "Ass."

The sound of someone clearing their throat came in from the doorway. Byron was standing there, looking just as relieved as Aria, his eyes on Mike. His eyes locked with Aria's quickly, before she looked away, suddenly distracted by a hole in her jean pocket.

"Hey, Dad." Mike said, dreading what his father was going to say about his behavior last night.

Byron had his jaw clenched, continually reminding himself to take deep breaths. Mike had crossed the line the night he had broken into a house when they had hosted a small get together. Instead of completely going off the deep end and losing his cool right then and there, he decided to listen to Mike, to try and understand. He didn't want to lose Mike just like he had lost his brother…

"Why on God's green earth would you destroy your body like this? For fun? Because "everyone else was doing it"?" Byron asked, careful not to raise his voice too much.

"To deal with…everything." Mike lamely answered.

"There are others ways to "deal" with things, Mike. Hurting yourself isn't one of them."

"I'm sorry. It's just…there was and is so much stuff going on."

"Like…"

Mike gave his father an _are you serious_ kind of look. "Everything! And you seem to notice none of it!"

"What are you _talking _about?"

"You notice nothing going on in our lives! I've been miserable for such a long time that it's almost normal for me."

"Your mother and I know what's going on in your lives." Byron weakly defended himself.

"Really? Because I'm pretty sure I would have noticed that my daughter was getting threatening messages from someone. You obviously don't even look at the phone bill—or didn't until you found out about Aria's secret relationship. Do you know how much dang—"

"Mike!" Aria interjected, glaring at her brother to drop the subject.

Ezra was becoming more and more uncomfortable by the minute, but didn't want to leave Aria's side or draw attention to himself. She still hadn't said a word about Mona, or this mysterious "A" as she called herself. Before Aria began ignoring Ezra, he had heard about the incident on the news, but whenever he talked to Aria after that she would always change the subject or act like nothing even happened. It didn't bother him that she didn't talk about it; he didn't want to push her.

The room quickly became quiet, an awkward silence taking place. Aria and Byron kept avoiding eye contact, Mike laid there useless, and Ezra was standing, wishing he were anywhere but there.

Mike cleared his throat. "Where's mom?"

"I don't know," Byron answered, suddenly remembering that right before Mike woke up, Ella had went to go get some food. "I'll—"

"I'll go find her." Aria said, interrupting Byron. Ezra realized by her tone and the way she couldn't wait to get out of there that something was wrong. She got out of the chair faster than Ezra thought possible and walked out of the room. Ezra followed her, but instead of stopping and waiting, Aria just kept walking.

"Aria." At the sound of her name, she finally turned around. She composed herself and gave Ezra the best smile she could.

"Oh, I didn't know you were there." She lied. Aria had known that Ezra was following her, and probably knew that she wasn't going to just go look for her mother. She hated having her relationship with her dad be so horrible, and with her dad not _trying_ to work things out or even apologize to her, made sitting in that room for any longer impossible.

"Yes, you did," Ezra replied, looking straight at Aria. "Is it about your dad?"

He watched her expression, her smile hadn't fallen the slightest. She had gotten _really_ good at lying.

"I'm fine."

"No you're not. Aria, your dad loves you so…" He trailed off, noticing that Aria's mask was gone, and hurt and betrayal had taken its place.

"If he loved me so much, he would help me, like he had been. No matter what circumstances we're under, he would be excited about becoming a grandfather. He should be happy that I have the most understanding and loving boyfriend and father of my baby here for me. He should be happy that _I'm _happy. I'm sure things would be so much easier if I weren't here. If I never existed—"

This time, it wasn't words that interrupted her. Ezra's lips were pressed against her's, melting away all of the pain and sadness that had taken over her feelings. The only thing on her mind was how amazing and natural it felt to have their lips together. It was a sweet kiss; a kiss that Aria knew was supposed to shut her up. A kiss that showed her how much _he _loved her and needed her in his life. They broke apart, gazing into each other's eyes. They both knew what the other was thinking. _How did I get so lucky?_

It took a minute or so for Aria to remember the "reason" she had left the room in the first place. She looked down the hallway, not really wanting to go on an adventure to find Ella. Of course, she was nowhere to be found.

Aria internally groaned. Looking back at Ezra, Aria spoke.

"We need to find my mom."

Ezra chuckled at her expression, taking her hand in his. They walked down the hallways connected, through the waiting room, and around the cafeteria. She took a seat in one of the chairs to a white plastic table. The past few days had just about drained the life out of her, and after the past few hours, she needed a break.

"Where could she have gone? It's a hospital, not an episode of _Where's Waldo: Ella Edition_." Aria said, exasperated. Ezra smiled at her, amused. Almost so fast that wouldn't have noticed, Aria's face went from annoyed to relief to confusion. He followed her gaze, to where he saw Ella sitting with a young man, about Ezra's age, talking in a deep conversation.

It didn't take long before Ella noticed both Aria and Ezra staring at her, so she waved them over. The man turned around, wondering who she was gesturing to.

Both Aria and Ezra became more confused as they recognized the man, Ezra also becoming suddenly possessive and jealous.

Jason. There was always something about Jason that made Ezra think that Aria had at least _some_ feelings for him.

As they walked over there, Jason had a strange look of surprise on his face. Ezra realized that it had to with the fact that he hadn't known Aria was pregnant, since he was ogling at the size of her stomach. He sighed in satisfaction that she hadn't seen Jason recently, although he knew those fears were silly.

"Hey, Aria, Ezra." Ella greeted nonchalantly as the couple arrived at the table.

"Mom," Aria said almost irritated, "Mike woke up, and he wants to see you. And no offense, Jason, but why are you here?"

"Aria!" Ella whispered in a strict voice.

"It's okay, Mrs. Montgomery. Aria, your mother called and asked if I could talk to Mike. I didn't realize that you were…expecting."

"Yeah, well, I am. So how about we go back to Mike and not have small talk like old friends." Aria exclaimed, turning around and walking in the direction of her brother's room, forcing along Ezra. He gave her a look like she was being overdramatic. "What? I'm pregnant. Which means I'm hungry, tired, sore, and moody. Also, my brother is in the hospital and my dad won't talk to me. Sorry I'm not—"

"Aria, can I talk to you?"

She whirled around to face the person that had just spoken.

Byron.

**A/N Ciao! Jason will _not_ be a love interest in this story for Aria. Their relationship will, at the most, be platonic. (For all those that were wondering). I think Aria and Jason could be friends in the show, too. AND OMG DID YOU GUYS SEE THE SEASON THREE TRAILER. I literally watched it like, fifty times. (Fangirling much?) And the pictures and sneak peeks? I. AM. SO. EXCITED. _ONLY TWELVE MORE DAYS! :) _**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N Ciao! Here is the next chapter! :) It's kinda sorta short, but I think it's pretty good. Haha. TWO MORE DAYS. AASDJEIOGM. I. Can't. Wait. Not gonna lie, I maybe shed a tear or two writing this. The next chapter or the one after that will_probably _ be several weeks after this takes place. If you have any ideas, please share them! Oh, and don't forget to _review_! Also, I made a TWITTER specifically for this. It's ezrialoverB26 … follow me for updates when I'm writing new chapters! AAaaand the next chapter will be way longer, I promise.**

Aria stood there, unsure of what to do. She moved her eyes hesitantly moved to Ezra, who was just as baffled as she was. They both weren't expecting Byron to come up to Aria at all that night, much less want to talk to her. He had acted hateful towards her just a few days ago; although Aria knew that her dad really did love her, just as Ezra had said moments before. The reason she was so tentative was because she didn't know what he would say to her. She didn't want to go along with talking to him and have it blown up in her face by him saying something else hurtful about her, Ezra, or her baby. On the other hand, maybe he would apologize to her. She looked back to her father, surprised that his expression had changed to desperate. Reluctantly, she nodded her head, following him to a small, vacant space with a few chairs and a coffee table. As her dad sat down across from where she stood, she kept her focus on a uniquely shaped vase with a lone, vibrant daisy.

Byron took a deep breath and did something Aria hadn't seen him do in a while. He cried. And not just the quiet, sniffling cry he had when she had confronted him about Meredith, but instead it was a full on sob, tears flooding down his face, landing on his pants. He had his face in his hands, shaking his head. Aria stood there, dumbfounded, not knowing exactly what to do. Almost every ounce of her anger washed away at the sight of her father this hysterical. She kept holding onto it, knowing that she couldn't forgive him until he apologized to her formally.

After a few moments of Aria standing there awkwardly, Byron collected himself and lifted his head from his hands. He looked tired, as if he hadn't slept in days, and his eyes were already red and swollen. His eyes locked with Aria's, showing an immense amount of pain and remorsefulness. He had to swallow a few times before he was able to speak clearly.

"I'm so sorry, Aria." She could feel the heartbreak in her father's voice, but decided to stay silent while she waited for him to speak up again. "What I said was wrong, and I regret ever saying it. I know this doesn't justify those words, but please listen to me." He looked down at his feet. "When you told me about your relationship, I was angry, yes. Of course I was infuriated at him. But what bothered me the most was that you lied about it so easily. How you went to _him_ for everything and not me. It was hard to imagine that you wouldn't have to rely on your mother and I for everything anymore. I knew that you were maturing and becoming more and more independent. But you were always going to be my little Aria. The one that smiled at me the first time when she was a few weeks old, whose first word was "dada", and who always looked up to me. I always reminded myself that I would always be the number one guy in your life, and you would always be my little girl." He looked back at her now, grief evident in his expression. "When you told me otherwise that night at the father-daughter dance, was the night I realized I lost you to him. I had you for _sixteen years_, and already I was replaced in a matter of months. When I found out you were pregnant, my heart broke, but I needed to be there for you, like I vowed I would the day you were born.

"He was out of the picture, and I was silently thankful that I got to have you all to myself again. I did everything I could for you these past six months, and for him to come back, and for you to run back to him in one day, I finally realized that you weren't my little girl anymore. You were going to start a family. You, Ezra, and a baby. He would be the man in your life from now on. I couldn't accept it, and I still can't. But I'm going to do everything that I can to make sure you're happy and in safe hands. This baby will be an amazing addition to this family."

When Byron stopped talking, Aria had tears of her own about to spill over. She looked at him incredulously, not knowing that he had felt this way so long. She hadn't meant to shut him out, and didn't mean for the comment about not being his little girl anymore to make him this heartbroken. He kept his eyes on her, hoping that she would understand.

"Dad…" Aria said softly. She finally let all the anger and pain fade away, forgiveness taking its place. "I'm sorry too. I didn't mean to make you feel like you didn't matter."

Byron stood from the chair, walking over to Aria. "I love you, sweetheart."

Aria hugged him and, for the first time in six months, felt happy again. "I love you, too, dad."

They pulled away a moment later, her father hopeful. "Will you come home? I miss having you there."

Aria smiled, "Of course. I miss being there. I feel like I'm intruding upon Ezra anyway, although he states otherwise."

"The man truly does love you, doesn't he? I can't think of anyone else that would put up with you for this long." Byron chuckled.

"Yeah, he does. I can't either. I mean look at me, I'm an emotional mess." She smiled, wiping the tears from her eyes.

"Nonsense, you're just a hormonal teenage girl who is about to become a mother."

Aria's smile grew wider, happy that things were back to normal between the most important man in her life.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N Ciao! Hola! Bonjour! I'm baaaaaack. School just ended for me this week (I feel like I'm the last to be out.) so I'm going to be uploading more :) I fast-forwarded in the story because I felt like it was going too slow. In ten chapters it's only been like a week, soo... yeah. **

_Five Weeks Later (29 Weeks Pregnant/ 7 Months pregnant)_

Within the past few weeks Byron had gradually allowed more and more freedom to the couple, even letting them spend some time together around the house. They hadn't been taking much advantage to that offer, since it was a bit awkward for them and even though she could tell he was making an effort, Byron was still unhappy about Ezra.

After finishing her schoolwork earlier than usual, Aria invited Ezra over after his last class. Byron was in his study, probably correcting papers while Ella was out bringing Mike to his therapist session. After being released from the hospital a few days after, he was given less leeway and scheduled more therapist sessions, much to his disliking.

Ezra was sitting on the couch in the Montgomery house, Aria curled up to his side with her head resting on his shoulder. Aria was flipping through the channels on the black flat screen television in front of them, as she had been for the past ten minutes. Giving up, she turned the TV off and put the remote down.

"Aria."

"Mmmm."

"We should go shopping. For baby things."

Aria lifted her head off of Ezra, stretching her back. "Yeah, I guess we should. I probably won't want to do anything that involves physical activity in a few weeks. When do you want to go?"

"We could go today; we still have a few hours until you'd have to be back for dinner." Ezra suggested.

"Alright, let me just get my things." Aria stood up, walking up the stairs to her room to get her jacket and purse.

"Where are you going?" Byron's voice came from the room next to Aria's as she passed it. She opened the slightly ajar door all the way and poked her head in.

"The store with Ezra to pick up some things for the baby."

Byron looked at her with a smile. "Alright, but be careful, and call if you need anything."

"I know, dad." Aria said as she walked down the hallway.

* * *

><p>Aria and Ezra walked down the aisles of Baby's "R" Us, overwhelmed by all the bright and colorful items. The store was full of pregnant women or new mothers, and they constantly heard the cooing and crying of babies.<p>

They had decided to look at clothing first, because it seemed to be the easiest and least expensive of what they were looking for. They reached the area of the store where the neutral clothing was displayed, and Aria couldn't help but put her hand out and feel the soft material of the smallest pair of pants she had ever seen.

"It's so _tiny_." Aria exclaimed to Ezra, picking up the size newborn garment. It was white with a yellow duck on the butt.

They looked through all the racks and shelves of onesies, shirts, pants, socks, hats, and mittens, until finally they were satisfied with what they had accumulated within the past half hour. Their cart was full of perfected folded outfits in white, green, yellow, and tan. They made their way to the bottles, only picking up a few since Aria was set on breastfeeding, then grabbing some diapers, pacifiers, bibs and finally making their way towards the nursery section. Aria knew that there was no need for all the decorations, since she would be sharing her room with the baby, so all they needed were a crib and the things that came with it. Since it was getting close to the time that they needed to be back, Aria and Ezra decided to get the blanket and sheet sets a different day.

Immediately upon setting foot in that area, they were both overpowered by how many choices there were.

Aria was sure that she didn't want anything modern or expensive; she wanted something more old-fashioned, something perfect. She looked around at all the options; most of them were white or black, or perfectly crafted dark wood. A low clearing of the throat was heard from behind her, and she turned to see Ezra in the way back of the section, motioning for her to go look at what he was. She moved to his side and immediately fell in love with the crib in front of them. It was a medium cherry stained wood, the side against the wall higher than the one in front, and curved. Along the edges were delicate carvings of baby animals, each with a part of a different lullaby inscribed beneath it.

"Do you like it?" Ezra smiled down at her softly, nudging her in the arm. She looked at him, returning the smile.

"It's perfect!" Aria traced the picture of the puppy, grinning. Her smile faltered as she looked at the price. Almost choking on the air, she said, "Ezra, I can't let you buy this." She tugged on his hand, attempting to lead him to the alternatives.

"I already did."

"What?"

"I already bought it, earlier today before my last class. I was looking around, saw this, and thought of you. I was hoping you'd stumble upon it yourself but I got impatient." Ezra chuckled.

"Ezra, it's _wonderful_, but—"

"No buts, it's already ours."

Aria leaned up to kiss him chastely on the lips before clapping her hands together softly, knowing that he wouldn't change his mind, and she really wanted it. "Thank you, thank you, _thank you_!"

After picking up the big box and placing it in the shopping cart, Ezra took Aria's small hand in his and led her to the checkout.

* * *

><p>They parked outside Aria's house with ten minutes to spare until dinner. She took a deep breath, sighing contently before opening the door and going around to Ezra's trunk to help with the bags. She picked up a few of the lighter ones, bags that were mostly full of clothing, while Ezra grabbed the others but left the crib box there.<p>

They strode up the walkway, entering the house and were immediately met with an amazing aroma coming from the kitchen. Aria placed the bags to the side and walked to where her mom was stirring an array of herbs and spices into a tomato sauce. She was surprised at what was in front of her. Instead of something quick and easy that she usually made for Byron, Aria, Mike, and herself, Ella had taken the time to use her grandmother's old pasta sauce recipe from when she had taken a cooking class in Rome, which typically took a lot more time and patience than opening a can from the store and pouring it over a pan of pasta from a box. To the counter on Aria's left was a dish of breaded chicken breast and another with steaming penne.

"Hey, mom." Ella turned towards Aria, startled. She placed the spoon down on the edge of the stove and turned the heat off.

"Hi, sweetheart." She grabbed a small kitchen towel and brought the sauce over to the chicken, pouring it evenly. As she went to get the mozzarella cheese to top it off with, Ezra walked into the room.

"What's going on?" Aria asked her mother suspiciously.

"What do you mean?" She gave her mother a look that said, _Are you serious? _"I just felt like having a nice dinner tonight. Would you like to stay, Ezra? Mike's sleeping over his friend's house."

Aria definitely knew that there was something fishy going on now, she understood that her parents were making an effort to accept Ezra for her sake, but didn't think that it would turn into eating a family dinner together. She immediately let the thought go away, knowing that she shouldn't be complaining. This was what she wanted all along. She smiled to herself and sat down at the kitchen table, motioning for Ezra to join her. They interlocked their hands underneath the table, resting them on his leg.

Byron entered, sitting across the table, nodding a hello to Ezra as Ella prepared their dishes.

* * *

><p>After everyone got their share of the chicken parmesan and pasta, Ella was the first to speak. "Aria, there is something that Ezra, your father, and I would like to speak with you about."<p>

Aria glanced around to their faces, confused. "O...kay?"

"Ezra came over the other day when you were with your friends, bringing something up. Your mother and I thought about it and agreed with Ezra that it's probably what's best."

She stared at her father for a few moments, absolutely unsure of what was going on. "Agreed to...?" She turned her gaze to Ezra, who was smiling at her, holding her hands a little more firmly.

"Will you move in with me?"

Aria's mouth dropped open slightly, surprised. The corners of her mouth turning up, looking at her boyfriend, then at her parents in disbelief.

"R-really?"

Her father nodded, answering, "Really. It'd be easier for the both of you if you were closer to each other, you wouldn't have to walk up and down the stairs constantly to get to your room, and you're starting a family. You should have time by yourselves before the baby comes."

"So...will you?" Ezra asked Aria, his expression hopeful.

Unable to say anything, she nodded her head enthusiastically, before everyone turned their attention back to their food and tried to make small talk. She squeezed Ezra's hand before continuing to eat.

After deciding that she would begin to move in the next day, Aria and Ezra were sitting on the porch swing outside her house. She hummed softly to herself, while Ezra played with a strand of her hair.

"I bet they made that dinner because it would be the last home cooked meal I'll be having in a long time." Aria giggled, teasing him. "Since cereal and toast don't count."

"I take offense to that; you seemed to like my cooking a few weeks ago."

"Ah, that's right. You've turned into quite the chef since we met. Unless you bought that premade and faked it while I was asleep."

Ezra feigned hurt, putting his hand to his heart, "Me?"

They both laughed before going back to sitting quietly.

"I love you." Aria whispered after a few minutes, leaning into Ezra. He tenderly kissed the top of her head, wrapping his arms around her.

"I love you more."

She laughed quietly, closing her eyes. "Impossible."

**A/N The next chapter is going to involve Aria moving into Ezra's. Currently, I'm thinking of how I should involve Ezra's mother and brother into the story... ideas? Just give me some ideas for the storyline in general, because I could use anyone's help :) The writers for the show don't mention anything about his father... so I'm going to see what I should do with that. _Review_! The more people review the faster I upload. I promise the next chapter will be up either before or after Tuesday's episode. ALSO, I OPENED REVIEWS FOR ANONYMOUS (I kept forgetting) FINALLY. :D**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N Hello! Here's the next chapter! It's a teensy bit overdue, but I had driver's ed, then had things to do and bla bla bla. I hope you enjoy! Oh, and Happy Fourth of July to all my fellow Americans! Please Review, it would make my day a little brighter. :)**

The next day Aria woke up with a smile on her face, thrilled to be bringing her things to Ezra's, but tired from hardly getting any sleep the night before. She had trouble falling asleep after Ezra went home because of her excitement, and afterwards, kept getting woken up by the baby moving around. For the past few weeks, Aria had barely gotten any sleep at night, usually having to take naps in the middle of the day. Her whole life was revolving around this new life, and it wasn't even born yet. Everything in her life has changed, and she was only seventeen years old.

All of her friends were going on with their lives as normal teenagers, attending high school with everyone else and worrying about homework and tests instead of scheduling doctor's appointments and saving up money for diapers. There was always a bit of jealousy that Aria felt when she talked to Emily, Hanna, and Spencer. She knew that they didn't mean to make her feel that way, but once in a while she'd wonder how her life would be like if she wasn't pregnant. In August her friends would all be going off to college, while she was taking care of a nine month old infant.

But the jealousy and sadness would always vanish when she looked at the ultrasound photos or felt the kicking. She was excited to meet her baby and become a mom, knowing that the feeling of holding her baby for the first time would be greater than going to prom or working on the yearbook committee. She smiled to herself, imagining Ezra in the hospital room with her holding their baby.

A loud knock on her bedroom door brought Aria back from her thoughts. The door opened slightly, enough for Ella to let Aria know that they should start packing as soon as possible.

"Ezra's coming over in fifteen minutes." Her mother said before shutting the door again, giving Aria privacy to get done.

Yawning, Aria got up from underneath her covers and walked to her closet. Opening it, she laughed softly, wondering if her clothing was even going to fit into his small apartment. She highly doubted it as she grabbed the first thing she saw, a plain bright blue maternity top and a pair of stretchy black pants. The doorbell rang as soon as she had finished brushing her teeth.

She heard the talking downstairs, before Ezra appeared in her doorway. They both smiled to each other as Aria walked over to him to give him a hug. She pulled away scowling when she could hardly get her arms around his neck without her bump pressing into his abdomen. He pulled her back and gave her a small kiss before surveying her room. He had only been in there a few short times, and now that Byron wouldn't be bugging them to go someplace else, he could fully appreciate it. Her old furniture and collection of books upon books was just so _Aria_.

Ella walked up behind them with all different sized boxes for them to pack Aria's belongings into. After jokingly wishing Ezra a "good luck" and receiving an annoyed look from her daughter, she left them alone.

Aria let out a big sigh and looked at Ezra again. "So I'll need mostly just maternity clothes for now, until the baby is born. And obviously my hair brush, toothbrush, makeup, jewelry, and shoes. And my laptop." Aria pointed to the closed MacBook on her desk.

Ezra nodded, looking lost on what he should be doing. Not being a particularly fashion-forward man made him want leave Aria to all that stuff, while he was also a hopeless folder. Aria laughed at his expression, grabbing a box and putting in on her bed, the area where most of her books were.

"You can pack up some of my books. The shelf above my bed holds my favorites."

They set to work, quietly doing their jobs. As Aria was finishing up her clothing, folding them into neat piles in a big brown box, she felt Ezra come up behind her, resting his head on her shoulder and wrapping his arms around her to show her the book he came across. _Winesburg, Ohio. _

"You keep this on your nightstand?" He asked as he kissed her neck.

"Mhmm." Aria mumbled as she leaned into his embrace. She turned around so that their lips were almost touching. "It comes in handy when 'I need to get away'." She whispered, quoting what he had written in the front of the book.

He smiled, brushing his lips softly against hers as he placed the book next to him on an empty box. Aria wrapped her arms around Ezra's neck and attacked his lips. They hadn't had kisses like this in what seemed like forever. Their recent kisses had been short and sweet, mostly because they were afraid Byron would walk in on them. She opened her mouth slightly, inviting Ezra's tongue in. They held each other close, marveling the feeling of each other. Ezra's hand went down from her shoulder to rest on her hip, while the other was in her hair, pulling her closer. Aria's hands caressed his cheeks, moving them down to rest clasped together behind his neck.

They heard the door downstairs open and close, with the shuffling of feet coming up the stairs. They jumped apart just as Mike passed the door and went into his room. Ezra cleared his throat and began to close the box he just filled with books while Aria fit the last clothing item into hers and did the same. She grabbed a smaller box, opened the first drawer on her dresser and started packing underwear. She felt awkward pulling out her panties and bras in front of Ezra, but thankfully he was busy looking around at all of her pictures.

He was walking around her room, glancing at all the photos there were of Aria. There was one when she was a small child, maybe four or five, smiling with a boy who looked around the same age. He guessed it was Holden, the boy who was their alibi when her parents forbade them to see each other. There was another one, maybe when Aria was in middle school, where she was smiling next to Mike. He smiled, looking at her pink streaks and dark wardrobe. The next one made him feel a hint of sadness for Aria, it was a picture of her and her friend Alison. He must have been looking at it for a while because Aria came and stood next to him, finished with her other box.

She smiled at the memory. "That was a year before she went missing. We went to the carnival in Philadelphia, her uncle knew the person that owned it or something, so we went on practically every ride for free."

She turned to look at the picture beside it. She reached up and took it down, giving it to Ezra. "That's from my first ultrasound."

Ezra studied the photo, all it looked like was a small dot, and if not for the arrow pointing it out, would he have though it was a baby. Aria walked over to a bag beside her closet, taking out a small picture frame she had bought a few months ago. She brought it back, took the picture from Ezra, and slid it in. It fit perfectly.

"I've been meaning to put this in here." Aria said as she put it back on her desk.

"I have the perfect place for it at our apartment." Ezra replied.

Aria beamed up at him. Hearing him say _our apartment_ put butterflies in her stomach and made her feel like the luckiest woman alive.

* * *

><p>Ezra stood at the front door of the Montgomery home, all of Aria's things packed into his car, ready to leave. Byron approached him, a kind smile on his face.<p>

Aria stood in the hallway hugging her mother goodbye.

"I love you so much, Mom." She said as a few tears welled up in her eyes.

"Oh, sweetie, I love you, too." Ella pulled back, putting her arms on her daughter's shoulders. "And you know that you're always welcome here. Both you and Ezra." She laughed, shedding a few tears herself. "I can't believe my oldest baby is already settling down and having a baby of her own. It feels like just yesterday I was holding you for the first time."

"Do you think that I'm ready for this?" Aria asked, looking her mom in the eye.

"I do. You're going to be a wonderful mother, Aria. And I'm sure Ezra's going to be a big help and an amazing father. I know this is hard to believe coming from my mouth, but you're really lucky to have him."

"I know." She hugged Ella one last time before walking up to where her father was, talking to Ezra.

"Take good care of her, Ezra." Her father said, patting her boyfriend on the back.

"I will." He smiled as Aria walked over to them.

She hugged her dad as tight as she could, silently thanking him for letting her do this. They pulled back, and before Aria and Ezra made their way out the door and to the car, she said, "I love you forever, Dad."

Bryon and Ella watched their daughter as she got into the car with Ezra, driving down the road to their apartment.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N Ciao! Over 100 reviews? THANK YOU! I'm glad there are so many people enjoying this. Here's the next chapter, not really full of drama, but there will be upcoming chapters that will be … dramatic. ;) I say bedroom _area_ in this because it's not really separated from the rest of their apartment.**

**Also, I don't own Pretty Little Liars or What To Expect When You're Expecting. Enjoy! **

Aria let out an exhausted sign as she dramatically fell backwards onto the black leather couch, lying down, while touching the back of her hand to her forehead. Ezra chuckled at the sight of his girlfriend as he made his way over to her from the bedroom area. He lifted her legs up and sat down next to her, the couch squeaking underneath the added weight. She settled her legs back down, her calves resting on the tops of his thighs. She gathered her hair into a ponytail as Ezra took her right foot and began to softly massage it.

As soon as they arrived at the apartment they wasted no time in getting all of Aria's belongings settled so they didn't have to worry about it later. The box that held the unassembled crib was left in the corner near the door, along with the other baby items, waiting to be put together another day. After securing her hair with the elastic she had around her wrist, she laid her head back on the armrest, her lips turned into a soft smile.

"Can you believe this? Who would've thought a few weeks ago that my parents would be allowing me to move in with you?" Aria asked Ezra.

"I'm not counting my blessing yet, I'm still afraid that your father is going to come bursting through that door and take you away," Ezra admitted, frowning. Aria lifted her head to look at him. "I mean, it was just months ago that he was threatening me and trying to send me off to New Orleans so that I would stay away from you."

"I know. I'd like to think that he was doing this because he's coming around to our relationship…," She looked down to her stomach before continuing, "But I think he's just doing it for the sake of the baby."

"I wonder what your parents would do if you weren't pregnant." Ezra thought aloud.

Aria had contemplated that same thought a few weeks ago, when Ezra had just left from coming over to spend some time with her. _What would my parents do if I weren't pregnant and Ezra had showed up for our anniversary? _She wondered what they would have done had he not run away after seeing her. If she weren't pregnant, Aria had a feeling that things would go a lot like they did when her parents first found out about them. A lot of yelling, sneaking around, and lies. She was sure glad that she didn't have to endure that anymore.

"What do you want to do tomorrow?" Ezra asked Aria, changing the subject. Ezra had purposefully asked Aria to move in with him yesterday since it was a Thursday, and he didn't have to work today due to the entire tenth grade going on an educational trip to Osgood. If she said yes, he wanted her to move in before the weekend, so he didn't have to leave to go to work the next few days. Ezra had absolutely nothing planned for the next day, aside from going grocery shopping in the afternoon.

Aria shrugged her shoulders as her cell phone vibrated in her pocket. She took it out and read the new text message that was from Hanna asking when all of them could hang out again. The last time she had seen Emily, Spencer, and Hanna was last week when they all went to The Brew. She had mostly listened to them as she ate a blueberry muffin and drank some water. Hanna was miserable over her breakup with Caleb and Spencer kept trying to cheer her up while Emily was complaining about Maya's cousin Nate being in town and Jenna fawning over him. She didn't mind listening to her friends' problems; in fact she hadn't even realized they hadn't talked face-to-face in a long time—for them.

"One of your friends?" Ezra asked, nodding towards the phone in her hand when Aria looked at him.

"Yeah, Hanna. She wants to know when I can hang out." Aria replied, placing her phone on her lap.

"They can all come over tomorrow, if you'd like."

"Are you sure? We could do something." She didn't want to ruin anything that Ezra might've planned for them.

"Invite your friends over for a few hours, then after leave we can do something together. I don't mind."

Aria smiled widely at him and texted all four girls to come over tomorrow with the time and address. "Thank you," She said to Ezra, standing up off the couch and walking towards the kitchen. "I'm—"

"Hungry?" Ezra laughed quietly while Aria turned around and crossed her arms.

"Yes, I am as a matter-of-fact."

* * *

><p>After heating up some leftover pasta they had made together the previous Tuesday, they turned on the television and flipped through random channels before they left on a show they both didn't really have an interest in.<p>

"Oh! I almost forgot I had this with me." Aria suddenly said as she jumped up off the couch and went to grab her purse. She immediately pulled out a multicolored paperback book her mom had purchased for her a few months ago. She walked back over to Ezra and held it out to him. _What to Expect When You're Expecting_. On the cover was a pregnant woman who looked a little further along than Aria. "I've read parts of it and I brought it over so we could look at it later on."

Ezra flipped through the table of contents, looking at the titles of the chapters. _Before You Conceive. Are You Pregnant? Your Pregnancy Profile._ He skipped to part two of the table of contents and noticed that Aria had highlighted the months that had already passed. Being on the seventh month, months one through six were highlighted in yellow.

"Did you read this chapter yet?" Ezra asked pointing to Chapter 12, which was titled, _The Seventh Month_. She shook her head and leaned in closer to him so she could get a better view of the book.

"Not all of it."

He flipped to the correct page and they started looking through it together. As they continued to look through it, Ezra was becoming aware of just how terrible being pregnant must be. He knew it was no simple task, but Aria was making it look a lot easier than this book was describing it.

"I bet you're glad you aren't a female." She nudged him playfully, noticing the look on his face when they moved on to _What You May Be Wondering About_. He turned his face and kissed her. Aria, who was surprised by the sudden contact, threw her arms around his neck. Ezra placed the book on the table in front of them, knocking over a few chess pieces. He pulled away and ran his thumb across her cheek as Aria closed her eyes.

"What was tha—" She interrupted herself with a yawn before she could finish her sentence.

"Someone's tired." Ezra chuckled as he stood up, taking Aria with him. They went into the bathroom to brush their teeth and hair. They walked to the bureau and grabbed their pajamas. Ezra went back into the bathroom to change, while Aria stayed in the bedroom area. Aria put on her light blue and pink bottoms with stars all over them and her pink maternity tank top. She walked over to the bed and couldn't help the blush that spread across her cheeks as she remembered their first—and only—night together. It had been beyond perfect. Ezra walked up behind her and kissed her pink cheek. She smiled as they both got into the bed and pulled the covers over themselves. Aria cuddled into Ezra's embrace and placed her head on his chest, wrapping an arm around his waist. They both fell asleep remembering the last time they were like that, seven months ago.

**A/N I hope you liked loved it! ****In the next chapter Aria's friends come over and there is an unexpected guest that will show up while Ezra's out grocery shopping. :o He/She won't be revealed until the chapter after that though, lol. Try guessing who I will have show up. It's gonna be juicy! TWITTER: ezrialoverb26 **


	14. Chapter 14

**Ciao, my wonderful (and patient :D) readers. Here's the next chapter. I don't think anyone guessed right on the person at the door and you'll find out who it is when I post the next chapter TOMORROW! Yup... there's my apology for taking so long. And, I'm very sorry. Time flies. Enjoy!**

**I don't own Pretty Little Liars.**

Aria woke up in complete darkness, aside from the faint light coming from the alarm clock on the nightstand. She was lying on her side, Ezra's arm around her. She internally groaned—it was a little after two in the morning. She had already woken up a few times before that, and hadn't been able to fall asleep until long after Ezra had. She was having even _more_ trouble sleeping than before, and was frustrated that she couldn't fall asleep for a decent amount of time. She flipped over onto her back, Ezra's arm now resting on her belly. Feeling the sudden shift, he opened his eyes.

"Are you okay?" He asked sleepily, rubbing his eye. He was worried something was wrong since she was awake at this hour.

"Mhmm." Aria replied, turning her head to the side to face him. "Just trouble sleeping, nothing to worry about."

"What can I do?" Ezra asked, taking his other hand and stroking her cheek, brushing some strands of hair out of her face. He felt as if all he was doing was sitting and watching her go through all the hard parts.

"Nothing. It's the little one that's affecting my sleeping habits. He or she has a mind of their own." She rubbed her stomach to make the point.

"Okay." He said, but made no move to go back to bed. They laid there for a few moments before Aria squinted her eyes at him.

"What are you doing?" She questioned.

"Staying up with you." He replied as if the answer was obvious.

"Don't be silly," She said, "Go back to bed."

"If you're up, I'm up." He stated with determination. He interlaced his fingers with hers.

Aria rolled her eyes at him. Then they widened for a second and they both looked down at her belly. "It seems as if we aren't the only ones." She said, rubbing where they felt the kick. Ezra lifted her shirt up, scrunching in together above her stomach. Even though Ezra had seen it a few times before, such as at doctor's appointments, she still felt a little shy and embarrassed. She knew that it was ridiculous to think that Ezra would find her unattractive, but couldn't help feeling that way herself when she looked down or in the mirror. What used to be a flat, smooth stomach was now completely rounded and there were little, slightly noticeable stretch marks forming around her belly button albeit her using lotions every day. Noticing the look on Ezra's face—lips turned up into a smile, eyes twinkling—she overlooked her nonsensical insecurities and watched him.

Ezra moved his fingers and traced random shapes, waiting for another kick. A few moments later he was rewarded with a gentle nudge right where his pointer finger was drawing imaginary circles. Aria, not wanting to ruin the moment, tried to fight the urge to yawn, but was unable to. Forgetting that it was the middle of the night, Ezra reluctantly smoothed Aria's shirt back over her stomach and laid back into a comfortable position. Aria looked back up at Ezra and smiled. She nuzzled her head into the crook of his neck, letting out a content sigh.

"Goodnight, Aria." Ezra said quietly, kissing the top of her head.

"'Night." She said back sleepily.

* * *

><p>After sleeping with no more interruptions, both Aria and Ezra woke up extremely late in the morning. Emily, Hanna, and Spencer were going to be at the apartment in a few hours, and they still needed to do a few things. Subsequent to waking up way later than expected, and getting ready for the day, Aria sat on the couch while Ezra went to get laundry from the dryer downstairs. He walked in the door with a laundry basket full of baby clothes, carefully making sure he didn't trip. Aria giggled as she went over to him.<p>

"Need a hand?" She asked, taking the basket from him and placing it on the floor near where she was sitting. They were trying to get things put away sooner rather than later so that they would be more organized and ready for the baby to come.

"Thanks." Ezra said as he sat down on the chair across from her, grabbing a random book he had put on the table but never read. Aria started taking out the variety of onesies, shirts, pants, and sleepers and folded them. Soon the spot next to her was covered in piles of yellows, whites, greens, and beiges. Still not having set up any of the baby's furniture—including the dresser—she put the outfits back into the laundry basket and went to move it over near where all the rest of the baby things were.

Moving to the kitchen, she said, "I'm going to make a snack." She rummaged through the fridge and cupboards, gathering exactly what she wanted. She took out two peaches, an apple, a handful of grapes, and some strawberries, putting them down on a cutting board. She hummed to herself as she cut up the colorful fruits, placing them in a small bowl. As she was putting the cutting board and knife into the dishwasher a knock sounded at the door.

"Come in!" She called over her shoulder. She went over to the door to welcome them while Ezra awkwardly stayed sitting, not exactly knowing what to do while her friends entered the apartment.

"Hey." Aria greeted her friends, opening the door all the way and putting her arm out. After saying their hellos, they all walked in, slightly hesitant, not knowing exactly how to act around Ezra as Aria's boyfriend instead of their teacher.

Aria walked back to where she was previously sitting, putting the bowl of mixed fruit in her lap. Emily, Hanna, and Spencer sat next to her.

"Hello." Ezra said as he looked up from his book.

"Hi…Ezra." Spencer said back, as Aria had texted her and the other girls that they should call him by his first name. Hanna and Emily replied with simple "hi's", deciding not to call him anything. He quickly went back to reading, trying to stay focused while they quietly talked.

"So how's the baby today?" Hanna said in a silly, high-pitched baby voice as she rummaged through her purse, looking for her hand lotion. Aria laughed.

"He or she is sleeping right now, thankfully. I think I've had enough blows to the stomach for the next few days."

"I can't wait until you have the baby so that we can finally know the gender." Emily said eagerly.

"I don't think I'd be able to wait," Hanna said as she applied some lotion to her hands. "The suspense would kill me."

"I think keeping it a surprise will make the experience better. Also, I figure I'll be more excited about giving birth if I get to finally know if I have a son or daughter."

"I bet it'll be a girl." Emily said, looking at Aria's midsection.

"How can you tell?" Hanna asked curiously, following Emily's eyes.

"She carrying high, which usually means a girl."

"Are you sure… it looks pretty in the middle to me." Hanna said tilting her head to the right.

"I heard that if you're having a girl, you tend to break out more." Spencer said.

"And doesn't your hair get dull?" Hanna asked, making a face. "I don't know, her skin seems pretty clear and her hair is shiny. Aria, your baby is giving us mixed signals."

"Good. Aside from the doctor, no one will know the gender until the day he or she is born."

Hanna pouted and played with a piece of her hair that fell into her face. Aria continued eating, picking up a strawberry and biting into it.

"I'm so hungry. This is the only thing I've eaten so far today." She said as she picked up a slice of apple.

"That's the _only _thing? It's nearly one o'clock." Emily said with a disapproving look.

"Hey, it's not my fault. We were up late last night and overslept." Aria said back, trying to defend herself. As soon as she said it, and saw the looks on her friends' faces, she realized how bad that sounded. "Not doing _that_, guys." She tried to argue, but her friends just grinned. Aria blushed a deep pink, but still gave them a glare.

"Are you _sure_, Aria? I heard that pregnant women want to do it _all. the. time_." Hanna teased, whispering the last part. Unfortunately, Ezra was still able to hear Hanna's remark and looked up, his eyebrows raised. He coughed uncomfortably as he stood up and walked over to get his keys from the kitchen counter.

"And, I think that's the signal for me to go. I'll be back in an hour." He went over to Aria and quickly kissed her.

"Bye." She said, before mouthing an apology and looking back to her friends after he left. They fell into a fit of giggles. "Nice."

"I'm sorry," Hanna said in between laughs. "I didn't mean for him to hear that. Honestly."

"I'm sure."The laughing died down and Aria went to put the now empty bowl in the almost full dishwasher before turning it on. She walked back and sat down in the chair where Ezra was sitting, leaving more room for her friends on the couch.

"Wait." Spencer said, looking at Aria. "So you guys haven't had sex at all since he came back?"

"No." Emily, Hanna, and Spencer all looked at her incredulously. "Why is that so hard to believe?"

"Because if he were my boyfriend I wouldn't be able to keep my hands off of him." Hanna said suggestively.

Ignoring Hanna being Hanna, and wanting to change the subject, Aria asked, "So, what's the current status of you and Caleb?"

"I have no idea." She whined. "We haven't talked since he broke up with me for no reason. I mean _Wren_? He thinks I'm interested in Wren? No offence, Spencer."

"Hey, none taken. I was sucked in by his accent." Spencer grimaced, remembering the time when it felt like everyone in her family was giving her the cold shoulder for making out with Melissa's fiancé.

"But I'm _not_. He's like…old." Hanna made a disgusted face at the thought of dating someone that was in their late-twenties. "Maybe I can get him to listen when he comes back from visiting his mom in Montecito." Hanna said hopefully.

"I'm sure it'll all work out." Emily said optimistically.

They continued talking about random things for the next half hour, catching up. They were in the middle of watching a rerun of _Friends_ when there was a loud knock at the door.

"Are you expecting anyone else?" Emily asked as Aria got up to answer it.

"No." She answered, opening the door.

**Can I just say that I can't believe the writers made Ezra have a son? A SON?! And when Aria cried... :'( Anyways, I hope they have happy time in the finale, although it looks like things might get dramatic for them from the looks of the pics. **

**If you enjoyed this, _please_ review. It would mean a lot to me :) Also, give me some suggestions on what you would like to see in upcoming chapters. xx**


	15. Chapter 15

**So, as promised, here's the next chapter! I don't really know how to feel about this one… I hope you guys like it. PLEASE REVIEW and let me know. :D**

_They continued talking about random things for the next half hour, catching up. They were in the middle of watching a rerun of Friends when there was a loud knock at the door._

_"Are you expecting anyone else?" Emily asked as Aria got up to answer it._

_"No." She answered, opening the door._

A teenage boy, perhaps the same age as Aria, was standing in front of her. Confusion washed over his face, probably because there was a pregnant teenager opening the door to Ezra's apartment, which also was crowded with three other teens and he was nowhere to be found.

"Umm." The boy said, continuing to look at the apartment he hadn't yet visited. Amongst the familiar books and furniture he noticed all of the baby things, before looking back down to Aria's stomach and finally landing his gaze on her face. She had a questioning look on her face, wondering who this person was. "I think I'm in the right place… Is Ezra here?"

Emily, Hanna, and Spencer kept their attention to the door, curious as to who it was.

"No." She noticed he looked even more confused and little embarrassed. He was about to say "oh" when Aria cut him off. "Not right now. You're in the right place."

"Okay." He drawled out the word, not really sure on if he should leave or not. He decided there would be a better chance of her letting him stay, seeing as he had nowhere else to go, if he offered who he was. "I'm Wesley, Ezra's brother."

Recognition dawned on Aria. The more she looked at Wesley, the more she could see the resemblance between the two. He looked almost like a mini-Ezra with brown eyes and lighter hair. Then she didn't exactly know what to do, she wasn't prepared to meet Ezra's brother… or any other members of his family. Nor did she think one would stop by when he wasn't here. Stepping aside, she let him in. She could tell by the look on his face that he didn't know who she was.

"I'm Aria. Ezra should be back soon." _I hope_, she thought. Wesley turned around quickly, looking back at her.

"_You're_ Aria?" He asked, surprise filling his voice, making it go up a little higher than he intended. He cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Um, yeah. And these are my friends, Hanna, Spencer, and Emily." Aria introduced, pointing them out. "Guys, this is Wesley, Ezra's brother." She looked at him strangely. So Ezra _had_ told his family about her? Apparently they had other expectations. She wondered what Ezra had told his family about her and their relationship, deciding not to say anything regarding it until he got back from the store.

After saying hello he turned his attention yet again to Aria. Emily, Hanna, and Spencer all tried to watch the television, secretly listening to the conversation.

"Ezra seemed to leave out that you were so…" She raised her eyebrows. "How old are you?"

"Does it matter?" She countered, trying to buy time.

He smiled. "Nope. Just curious. C'mon. Nineteen?"

She ignored the question. "How old are you?"

His smile widened. "Eighteen."

She hadn't expected him to answer her, and she was running out of things to fill the space with. She knew that he was wondering about her, and the fact that she was almost eight months pregnant.

"So, what're you guys watching?" He asked when he saw Hanna looking at him. She quickly looked away, embarrassed.

"Friends." Emily answered coolly, keeping her eyes on the screen. Wesley's eyes got brighter and he went to join them.

"I love that show." He sat in between Hanna and Spencer. When he wasn't paying attention, Hanna gave him a onceover. Aria squinted her eyes at Hanna before mouthing _No way_ when she looked at her. Aria stood there awkwardly for a few moments before finally walking over to where she was before and sitting, curling her legs underneath her butt. She grabbed the issue of _Cosmopolitan _she had placed on the coffee table yesterday and flipped through the glossy pages. By the time she was halfway done, and the _Friends_ episode had ended and _That 70's Show_ came on, Ezra texted her telling her he was on his way up.

She breathed a sigh of relief and put the magazine back on the coffee table, facedown so she didn't lose the page she was on. The door opened a minute later and he walked in with several plastic grocery bags. She stood up and went over to help him put the food away. He placed the bags on the table and threw his keys on the counter, before giving Aria a chaste kiss.

Hanna, Emily, and Spencer all said they had to get going, obviously leaving Aria, Ezra, and Wesley to talk. He stayed sitting where he was.

"So, your brother seems…nice." Aria said quietly as she put a box of Cheerio's in the cupboard above the dishwasher. Ezra snapped his head up from emptying a bag and gave her a questioning look. She nudged her head in the direction of the couch, where Wesley was awkwardly sitting.

"Wes?"Ezra sounded shocked as he said his brother's name. Wesley looked over before getting up and making his way over to the kitchen. "What are you doing here?"

"As I told Aria before, I had some free time and decided to come see your new place. It's nice. Didn't expect all the baby equipment though…" His eyes flickered to Aria. "Or the very young and pregnant girlfriend. How old is she anyway?"

Ezra looked over at Aria, allowing her to be the one that answered. Grudgingly she said, "Seventeen."

Wesley's eyes widened and his mouth dropped a little. "You got a minor pregnant?"

Aria glared at Wesley. Neither she nor Ezra answered him.

"Mom is so going to kill you."

"I'm twenty-five years old. I'm not scared of Mom anymore."

"Yeah, well, I think now's as good as any to tell you that she is on her way."

Panic covered both Aria and Ezra's faces. "What? She's on her way here? Right now?"

"Well, we haven't really talked to you in weeks… I guess I know why. She's coming to Pennsylvania for some museum thing and is stopping by. Well, um, you two should probably prepare yourselves for when Mom gets here." Wesley said, backing up towards the door. "My hotel room should be available for checking in now." As soon as the door shut Aria went straight into alarm mode.

"Your mom is going to be here soon? Your _mother_?! Oh my gosh, I'm so not prepared for this. She's going to hate me. She's totally going to hate me." Aria said, pacing back and forth.

Ezra grabbed her arms, making her stop. "She isn't going to hate you." She made a face like she was going to be sick.

"I think I'm going to puke." She took a few breaths. "Nope, just having an anxiety attack."

"Aria, calm down."

"How am I supposed to calm down, Ezra?" She snapped. "I'm going to meet your mother this afternoon, I'm totally not prepared, she doesn't know I'm seventeen, or pregnant, _or_ that I live with you. This is not going to end well."

"Hey, all that matters is that I love you and our baby, okay? She's not going to care about all of the other stuff." He wasn't entirely sure of this and was mostly just saying it to make Aria feel better, which she knew, but she tried to take deep breaths and relax anyway.

"Alright."

"How about I call her and tell her we should go out to eat for an early dinner instead of her coming to the apartment?"

"Okay." Aria didn't think that his mother would freak out publicly. He kissed the top of her head and took out his cell phone from his pocket and dialed his mother's number.

"Hi, mom…Wesley told me you were going to be in town…I was thinking we could go out to dinner…Around five?...That sounds great…Yup…Bye."

Aria looked at the clock on the microwave. 2:19. She had less than three hours to get ready to meet Ezra's mother.

**Okay. So I'm starting school on the 29th so I don't know when I'll be able to get another chapter done. I'll try before Wednesday but no promises amigos/amigas. Also, the lack of reviews... WHATS GOING ON? Pleeeeeaaaaasssseeee review more :( There are hundreds of people that read this and only a few review. (thank you loyal reviewers!) xx**


	16. Author's Note! (Please read)

**Alright. So it's been SO long since I updated. Like months. And I am so completely sorry! First it was the beginning of school, then I have so much work to do and make sure all of it is perfect (since I'm a junior and this is the year that colleges look at), then it was the hurricane (I live in RI). Anyways, I haven't had much time to write because my sister is ALWAYS on here. And I only have one computer. It sucks. **

**Also, when I just got on here, I realized someone has the same story title as me, with the same general plot... :/ Whether it was coincidental or not, it ticked me off. CREATIVITY! **

**And since y'all have been amazing and loyal readers, and its been so long, I'm updating with a few new chapters this weekend! I'll be working my butt off tomorrow and Friday!**

**ANDDDDDDD, please give me some suggestions for future events. How would you like Ezra's mom? A lot of you said nice, haha. I'll see what I can do. ;)**

**SO sorry for the wait (again),**

**Megan :D**


	17. Chapter 17

Ezra glanced at Aria from the corner of his eye. She was tapping her fingers against her knee and looking out around the restaurant. She took her phone out of her pocket and checked the time, for what felt like the twentieth time since they arrived. It was quarter to five and as the minutes kept passing Aria kept getting more and more anxious. On the plus side, the table they were seated at did a pretty good job at hiding her bump.

"You'll be fine Aria. My mom won't bite." Ezra said.. Aria turned her head to face him and gave him a look.

"This is the first time I'm meeting your mom. She's going to ask how we met, how old I am, why I'm having a baby in less than two months…" She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"You were fine right before we left—"

"And now that we're about to reach the parking lot I'm nervous all over again." She stopped tapping her knee and interlaced them, something she did when she was scared. "You know that you're mom isn't going to _love _this situation."

"Nobody knows anything, okay? We'll just have to wait and find out." He knew that these weren't exactly comforting words, but Ezra didn't know what else there was to say, Aria would just refute it.

"Right this way." They heard a host tell someone. Aria looked up and saw a man and a woman, who she could tell was Ezra's mother, walking this way. The host placed a menu across from Aria, where his mom took a seat. "The waiter will be here to take your order soon."

Right after he left to seat more people, Ezra's mother held out her hand and smiled at Aria. "Hello. I'm Dianne." Aria graciously shook her hand and also gave her name. "I'd love to say that I've heard a lot about you, but I haven't." Aria and Ezra side-glanced at each other, but Dianne just laughed. "It's alright. We have an hour to get to know each other."

Aria felt herself get a little less nervous as she noticed how nice she was.

"So, mom, how've you been?" Ezra asked as he picked up the menu.

"Good, good. Nothing's changed much for me since you left."

"So, Aria, what do you do?" Dianne asked, looking to Aria from across the table.

They both agreed to be as vague as possible in the car ride over, to make things easier. "I'm taking classes online for now."

"Oh, what do you want to do?" Ezra continued to scan the menu, listening to their conversation.

"I really want to become a teacher." She answered, smiling.

"That's wonderful! I can see that you and Ezra have something in common already."

Aria laughed. "Yeah, I'm leaning towards younger children, though. Around kindergarten or first grade. They make me feel taller."

Dianne laughed along with Aria. They continued their small talk while their food was brought to them and they ate. As they were just about done, Dianne spoke up again.

"How long have you two been seeing each other?" She had wondered since she found out that he was seeing someone. All he had told her was her name, and that he was absolutely in love with her.

Ezra cleared his throat. "We met the beginning of September of last year." He smiled, remembering the memory.

A confused look came across Dianne's face. "You've been together for a year?"

"Sort of, I mean I left in March, so…" Ezra said looking away from his mother.

She gave him a disapproving look. "Anything else I should know?"

He wondered when it would be a good time to tell her that Aria was pregnant. He hadn't really thought about how to tell her, which complicated things. He looked over at Aria, where she met his gaze. She looked panicked, but gave a small smile. He took that as a hint to tell her.

"Um." He started, looking extremely uncomfortable. Dianne looked at her son, confused. When she asked if there was anything else she should know, it was a slightly rhetorical question. She didn't think he had more to hide. "How does the idea of being a grandmother seem to you?"

Dianne continued to look at her son confused. Then she looked to Aria, who was looking back at her with an anxious expression. The waiter arrived with the check but no one noticed. She paled. "You've got to be kidding me."

"Mom—" Ezra stopped talking immediately when Dianne raised her hand. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"You're pregnant?" She asked, opening her eyes again and giving a weary look to Aria. She slowly nodded her head. "This is what you both want?" Both of them nodded their heads. She took another deep breath. "Alright. I'm not saying that I'm… _comfortable_ with the idea of my son and his girlfriend having a baby…but it is what it is. When are you due?"

Aria cleared her throat. "December sixteenth."

Dianne's mouth dropped. "You're due in less than two months?!"

"Uh, yeah…" She said awkwardly. "But Ezra didn't—"

"I didn't want to tell you yet because I was nervous." Ezra interrupted, looking at his mother. Aria looked at her boyfriend, surprised, but thankful. She didn't want his mother to think lowly of her for not telling him that she was pregnant.

"It would have given me more time to process the idea before the baby's born. Do you know what you're having?"

"Mm-mm. We want to keep it a surprise until the birth. Makes it more exciting."

"That's what I did with both Ezra and Wesley; although I had a feeling both of them were boys."

"I have no clue what I'm having. Some people think I'm having a boy…others a girl. Depends on how they make the conclusion."

Dianne noticed the bill on the table, and took out her wallet. She didn't want to waste too much of their time.

"Okay. Well, this has been…eventful. I'm gonna get going since I've got a meeting to go to for the museum." She put some money on the table and stood up.

Both Aria and Ezra stood up, too, not wanting to be rude. It was then that Dianne noticed Aria's large and round belly, and asked herself how she didn't notice that before. Trying not to be impolite, she looked away and back to their faces. She gave them a quick hug.

"Congratulations." She said.

"Thank you." Ezra replied, smiling.

"Oh, wait! Mom," Ezra called before she left. "We're having Thanksgiving at Aria's parents. Would you be able to make it?"

"Are you sure, I mean I don't want to intrude…"

"You're invited. You're part of our family now." Aria said, smiling at Dianne.

"Alright. I'll be there. Just tell me the address before."

After she walked away, Aria and Ezra sat back down, and paid the rest of the bill. "Wow." She said, surprised by his mom's reaction.

"I told you that you didn't have anything to worry about." He smiled triumphantly.

"Oh, please. You were just as nervous as I was to tell her. What do you think she's going to do when she finds out that I'm seventeen and still in high school?"

"Can we please focus on one thing at a time? I'm just glad that went over well."

"Me too." She paused for a moment. "Do I really look older? Or is that just something _your_ family does?"

"You definitely do _not_ look like you're in high school." Ezra said, smirking.

Aria blushed deep red. "Whatever." She mumbled.

Ezra laughed at her expression. "Let's go home."

**Woohoo! Back to posting chapters! The next one will be up this week (before Friday). I'm probably not going to post this weekend because I'm going to a ONE DIRECTION CONCERT ON FRIDAY! haha im so excited. (can you tell?) Leave a review please! I hope you liked this chapter, and my spin on Dianne. Next chapter: Thanksgiving pt. 1 (which is a few weeks later.) CAN Y'ALL GUESS WHAT HAPPENS? haha DUN DUN DUN DUN.**

**-Megan :D **


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